


Falling for a Dwarf King

by nobledurins



Category: The Hobbit, The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-18
Updated: 2016-01-13
Packaged: 2018-03-18 11:40:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 72,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3568307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nobledurins/pseuds/nobledurins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bilbo Baggins is a simple hobbit living in The Shire, and Thorin Oakenshield is a noble king on a journey to reclaim his homeland with the company of 12 other dwarves and a wizard. After a “little shove out the door”, Bilbo embarks on the journey with the dwarves across the land. As Bilbo learns more things about Thorin each day, he starts to fall for the brooding king. Along their way to Erebor, they run into all sorts of mishaps: orcs, trolls, elves and a surprise kidnapping of Bilbo himself. Before long, Thorin soon finds himself caring a little more for Bilbo than he originally planned for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First of Many

Bilbo Baggins adjusted his seat in the bench in which he was seated on, trying to find a comfortable sitting position on the wooden bench. He had his eyes closed, trying to block out the bright sun that beamed down on the town of Hobbiton, bringing with it good weather and a light breeze that continuously blew over the hills and across the farms. He was a humming a soft tune to himself as he sat, stopping every now and then to take a puff of his pipe, then blowing a large smoke-ring into the air.   
  
The hobbit would open an eye to see how far it would go until the wind would eventually carry it away, which would make him close his eye again until he puffed another one. Bilbo would do this most days, relaxing in his own space outside of Bag End, listening to the distant laughter and chatter of the other hobbits in the market area. Bees buzzed by and the flowers that spotted The Shire in all sorts of colors brought with them the sweet smell of spring, which usually included pollen and honey. It was a relatively warm day and as the breeze blew against Bilbo’s face, he would exhale in relief.   
  
Today seemed to be no different from other days, with familiar smells and sounds danced in the air. Nothing strange came across to the hobbit. Well, of course that would be a lie, for something quite strange had happened to him just a few hours back.  
  
That “strangeness” was the doing of Gandalf The Grey, a wizard who had made a visit to Bilbo’s home while he was doing the same as he was doing now. The company of the wizard had soon made him anxious, for Gandalf talked to him of adventures. You see, Bilbo used to be quite fond of the idea of an adventure. Gandalf had pointed out to him that when Bilbo had been a small, young hobbit, he was always in seek of elves and would often journey into the woods.   
  
Of course, now, the hobbit had changed entirely. He thought of adventures as uncomfortable and disturbing things, as they also brought danger and unfamiliarity with them. Mr.Baggins had simply shook his head at the offer and had closed his rounded-door on the wizard as soon as he could, dismissing himself of the conversation before Gandalf said it was over. Unbeknownst to our hobbit, you see, the grey-cloaked wizard had left a mark on his door. What that would eventually bring, was far out of Bilbo’s mind.  
  
The hobbit opened his eyes once more, puffing a final ring into the air and standing up as he noticed the sun dipping down behind the hills, signalling that supper was soon to be eaten- which of course meant that it had to be made, first. Dusting his pants with a few, quick flicks, Bilbo swung open his rounded door and closed it behind him.  
  
~x~  
  
“P-Please! Be careful with that! Oh, not on the carpet! Put that back, sir!”   
  
Bilbo scattered around his hobbit-hole, frustration plastered on his face. No, this was no ordinary day at all. For twelve dwarves now ran about his home, robbing the pantry and destroying his furniture. Of course for the first few dwarves, the hobbit was certain that they had gotten the wrong house, for they kept speaking on and on about some journey or how they would need food while they had it and all that nonsense.  
  
But when Gandalf had shown up at his doorway with multiple dwarves flat on their faces, Bilbo knew it was the doing of the great wizard. And for what reason? Bilbo Baggins barely knew, for Gandalf hadn’t spoken of it. This, of course, made poor Bilbo very angry. For they had the worst- basically no manners at all. They threw food around as they ate and sang and the hobbit had never seen his pantry so empty in all his life. The only thing that was left were a few spare vegetables on the shelves and food that was mushed on top of the floor.  
  
The night went by quickly, to Bilbo’s relief, until their merry gathering was interrupted by a series of loud knocks. By the way the dwarves all hushed each other silent, he could tell that it must be someone whom they were expecting. Perhaps, someone important? Maybe he was the doing of all the dwarves in his hobbit hole.  
  
Bilbo Baggins pushed past Gandalf quickly, his eyebrows furrowed together as he silently hoped that it wasn’t another dwarf. Slowly he opened the door, and raised his eyebrows slowly as his eyes locked onto who it was. He didn’t recognise the dwarf, of course. For how could he? He was nothing more but a simple hobbit living in The Shire. But deep down inside, part of him felt as if he did know him. Impossible, it was, for they hadn’t spoken a word. Bilbo had only just looked at him for the first time right then.   
  
But his heart seemed to beat faster when the dwarf’s breathtaking eyes of blue locked onto his. The dwarf had long, dark hair, that was flopped lazily over his shoulders, curling across his chest and down his back. He wore a coat rimmed with fur and underneath his coat was some sort of decorated armour piece.   
  
What took Bilbo Baggins to stare at the dwarf longer than he needed to, however, was his face. Sharp features and those wonderful blue eyes of his. But as the dwarf moved his gaze to find Gandalf, a smile crept apon his face. “Such a broken smile..” Bilbo thought to himself, moving aside so that the dwarf could come in.  
  
“Bilbo Baggins, let me introduce the leader of our company,” Gandalf gestured a hand to the dwarf. “Thorin Oakenshield”   
  
The hobbits’ lips parted when Thorin walked towards him slowly, raising both arms to cross them across his chest.   
  
“So, this is the hobbit?”  
  
~x~  
  
The night was full of the chatter of now _thirteen_ dwarves and the clatter of plates as they tidied up after supper rather well. And for the first time, Bilbo was comforted about why they were there in the first place. Something about The Company journeying to reclaim The Lonely Mountain. Of course, Mr.Baggins didn’t see any reason why this had to be held in his home, until they made mention of a burglar. Gandalf had chosen him for the job, and Bilbo had refused. Why would he go with them? It meant danger and uncomfortableness, and the hobbit knew that he wouldn’t get hearty meals several times a day if he were to go on this adventure.   
  
So he simply had declined and took a step outside on his porch. The sunlight had completely disappeared from the sky at this time, leaving behind it a sky that was tinted with a dark blue and was dusted with stars of all different sizes. The moon, huge and bright, beamed down on Hobbiton, making the lake in front of him glitter. All was silent, except for the muffled conversation inside Bag End and the low croaks of frogs that hopped around the lake’s edge.  
  
“Wonderful night, is it not?” A low voice came from his right, startling him completely, almost falling off the bench. Bilbo turned his gaze sharply to where the voice had come from, only to see Thorin Oakenshield standing on the last step from his house, his eyes fixed on the view in front of them. The hobbit seemed to struggle to make words leave his mouth, so he simply nodded, scooting a bit to the left as to offer a seat to the dwarf, which Thorin happily took.  
  
The two sat in silence, with Bilbo awkwardly fumbling his thumbs as he tried to keep the blush from appearing on his face.  
  
“I-I think what you’re doing is very brave, Sir Oakenshield” Bilbo was, surprisingly, the one who broke the silence first, his voice stiff. Thorin merely glanced down at the hobbit, an eyebrow raised, before turning back to looking at the numerous hills that covered the land around them.  
  
“I do not have much choice in the matter” Thorin shrugged simply, rubbing his neck with a large hand.  
  
“None-the-less, I admire your bravery” The hobbit smiled as he looked up at the dwarf, his eyes shining. His smile widened when he earned a low laugh from the dwarf, and his heart seemed to fly  when he heard the laugh, for it rumbled deeply in his chest and sounded carefree and light.  
  
“I thank you, Mister Baggins” Thorin dipped his head, his face turning bashful as he looked away.   
  
“But.. you see, I cannot-“  
  
“But you cannot accept, am I correct?” The kings’ voice was stern as he interrupted him, with a hint of anger and disappointment. Mr.Baggins gulped quickly as their eyes locked once more, and he nodded stiffly, shuffling his feet together.  
  
“What a shame. But then again, I couldn’t expect more from a hobbit” He said bitterly, before excusing himself silently and closing the door behind him as he returned back to the dwarves that waited for him in Bag End.   
  
What he had said took Bilbo by surprise, as he never really had him pinned down at one for being that _rude._ It had left him with his mouth wide open, staring after Thorin, even when he had disappeared from his sight. Bilbo Baggins felt something click and he meant to go after Thorin and finish their conversation which he had started, but instead, he took a deep breath and tried to ignore his blatant bad manners.  
  
_He_ couldn’t expect more from a _dwarf_ , to be quite honest. He sat on his bench for a while longer, until he heard the sound of the door swinging open again. Without seeing who it was, he gritted his teeth together and spun around.  
  
“If you have anything more to say, say it now” Bilbo spat, before widening his eyes as he saw it was not one of the dwarves, but a wizard instead. He raised two bushy eyebrows, amused at what Mr.Baggins had just said to him, and invited himself to take a seat next to the hobbit.   
  
“Not now, Gandalf” Bilbo sighed before searching his pockets to find his pipe. “This is your doing” He huffed, pulling the wooden pipe out and rubbing the end with pipeweed, before breathing in the familiar, relaxing smoke. The wizard merely grumbled lowly and did the same, puffing out smoke rings much larger than Bilbo’s. The hobbit relished that moment, for it brought peace and quiet, something which he had not had all evening.   
  
“You still have not considered what you might gain if you do choose to come with us?” Gandalf said slowly, his voice rough and quiet.  
  
“What am I to gain? I’m more afraid of what I can loose” Bilbo admitted bluntly, before blowing out another smoke ring into the air, watching it until it faded into the wind.  
  
“What you can gain from this journey is far greater than what you have to loose. Trust me, Bilbo. Please consider” The wizard coughed, puffing out two smoke rings in a row, impressing Mr.Baggins immensely. Even though he was doubtful of Gandalf, a part of him trusted the wizard.   
  
“I will think it over” Bilbo nodded, packing away his pipe and excusing himself back inside. When the hobbit stepped inside, he was surprised to find all thirteen dwarves fast asleep on his furniture and on the carpeted area of the floor. Some were curled under small tables, some were lazily snoring on top of the arm rests of the couches.   
  
But none of them stirred as Bilbo hopped between each dwarf, finally making it to his hallway. Looking back, he caught the small peak of Thorin watching him go. The dwarf king was lying on his left shoulder, his arms curled around his chest as he “slept”. The hobbit smiled to himself as he turned the corner and flopped down on a couch in the other room, his eyes drifting closed as he listened to the annoying, yet peaceful in some way, snoring of the many dwarves that crowded his hobbit home.  
  
And when he awoke, he wasn’t surprised at all to see that all the dwarves and wizard had left his home, leaving no trace that they were here in the first place, except for an empty pantry. Bilbo lifted his heavy eyes and yawned lazily before sluggishly walking over towards the pantry. Before he entered, his attention was caught by a long piece of paper draped over a table. He recognised it as the contract that Balin had given him for being the burglar of this journey. As his eyes scanned over the writing, they rested on the signature of Thorin Oakenshield.  
  
Quickly, he looked up and looked towards his door. Something inside him told him that he was meant to go on that adventure, no matter how “uncomfortable” it were to be. And no matter how many times he tried to convince himself to stay, the latter one.  
  
…  
  
“Oh, take me for a fool!”  
  
~x~

 


	2. On The Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their journey begins with a slow start, bringing restless nights and lack of hygiene for our hobbit.

“Blasted dwarves” Bilbo thought bitterly as he trailed behind the group.   
  
His thighs and calves ached more and more with each step, muscles burning as he tried to keep up with them, leading his pony behind him carefully. The Company had been travelling non-stop all day, with only Bilbo panting after the first few miles. The terrain did not seem to be kind, as rocks and roots would be scattered unevenly through the forest ground as they dodged trees and jumped over deep holes. For Bilbo, he thought it to be easy travelling, and that they would reach the mountain within a few weeks. But after stepping out of his hobbit hole, he was amazed to see just how big the world was. Mr.Baggins was doubting that he would ever come back at all, and he would often think of Bag End with the warm fire and his comfortable armchair.   
  
The days were long, but the nights seemed even longer for the hobbit. They would set up camp each night in a new area, and would either put up a fire and have a nice, heavy meal or they would go straight to sleep with no food and no fire. This was, indeed, a problem for Bilbo Baggins. As a hobbit, he could eat twice as much as the dwarves. And with skipping supper before bed, he would not be able to sleep. Bilbo would rest on his bedroll and stare at the sky until the sun would rise above the land, and it would continue once again. They had been on the road for a few weeks now, and exhaustion was taking it’s toll on him early.  
  
Bilbo suddenly felt himself drop to the group, his foot catching on something hard. He landed with a thud, face-first against a rock that jutted out from the ground. He winced as he fell, the air pushed out of him when he landed on the ground. Looking behind him slowly, he saw that his foot was caught in a hole, most likely dug up by a fox or a badger. Thankfully, someone had noticed his fall and grabbed his arm, heaving him up. Bilbo looked up to Bofur, who’s face was plastered with a concerned expression.  
  
“You alright, laddie?” He asked, brushing off the bits of pine-needles and soil off Bilbo’s shoulder softly.  
  
“Yes, Bofur. I’m alright” Mr.Baggins sighed softly, feeling a stinging pain on his right eyebrow.  
  
“Yer’ bleedin, Bilbo.” He pointed out, adjusting his hat slightly. “Right. I’ll get Oin” He said quickly with a nod, before waddling forward to grab Oin by the shoulder and bring him back to Bilbo. After a quick look, the older dwarf simply said that it wasn’t anything too serious, but it was deep. He would apply something once they had settled down for camp. Bofur nodded, satisfied and ran up ahead to join the dwarves who didn’t stop to wait for them. Bilbo huffed, grabbed the rope to lead his pony, and followed after them.  
  
They walked on for a while longer, finally leaving the dense, darkness of the forest, which seemed to go on forever. They were introduced to a wide, green field that spread itself far down until it met up with another forest on the other side of the terrain. Thankfully, there were tall hills and short cliff-faces that were sprouted above the field, towering over the dwarves, hobbit and wizard, which meant that there would be a decent place to set up camp for the night.   
  
With their aching muscles, they decided to settle for a cliff-face that stood nearest to the forest, which had multiple trees around the edges, and climbed up the large mound of rock and practically collapsing once they got the chance to rest. Bombur, as usual, ran over to the centre and began to place down rocks and dry-wood to set up a fire. Fili and Kili were arguing over which spot each one would get, as one part of the grassy-top was “dryer” than the other. Ori was lying quietly on Dori’s lap, his eyes shut closed as he quickly dozed off, with Nori sitting with his back against a tree stump. Gandalf sat on a smooth rock next to Balin, who was whistling something as he patted down on his roll.  
  
The other dwarves were spread out fairly evenly around the fire, with Thorin setting his bedroll next to Bilbo’s. The hobbit couldn’t stop his eyes from slowly moving from the other dwarves to watching Thorin set his things down. He had taken off his shirt and coat and had hung it on a tree-branch, which exposed muscles that moved while he was setting up his sleep space. The hobbit raised his eyebrows in surprised as he watched his muscles at work, a warm blush appearing on his face before he quickly looked away, his face warm. A voice and a warm hand on his shoulder took him by surprise, making him almost fall over.. again. He looked to the left to where the voice had come from, and surprise surprise, Thorin had walked over to him and had sat down next to the hobbit.   
  
“You’re bleeding, Master Burglar” His deep voice sounded soft in Bilbo’s ears as he raised a large, rough had to Bilbo’s face and placed a finger on the gash that was on his right eyebrow. The hobbit winced when his calloused hand met with the small wound, making Thorin instantly draw his hand back, his eyebrows furrowed together in concern. Bilbo frowned at himself, wanting Thorin’s touch to remain on his skin for only a while longer.  
  
“I will go fetch Oin” He said quickly, blinking a few times before standing up and walking over to the dwarf, with heavy thuds as he walked.   
  
“What is happening to me?” Bilbo breathed as he looked down at his hands, which were clasped together. He felt something in his heart. Something warm and unfamiliar. Whatever it was, it had Bilbo smiling like a fool after Thorin had left.  
  
~x~  
  
**_Snap_.**  
  
Bilbo sat up sharply, his heart racing, his breathing heavy. Something had woken him. The hobbit looked around, his eyes scanning the area around him. The fire was out, but it seemed to only recently been blown out, as smoke still drifted from the burnt wood into the crisp, night air. Everything was silent, except for the loud snores and murmurs from the sleeping dwarves around him. The hobbits’ eyes searched over the sleeping areas of each dwarf, making sure that non of them were missing. He stopped looking when his eyes looked at the bedrolls of Fili and Kili, which were empty. Panic rushed through him as he thought what could have happened to the two princes. Quickly, he propped himself up on his elbows and staggered a few paces forward before regaining his balance as his head spun. The wind seemed to stop blowing and Bilbo cautiously clenched both fists at his sides, his heart feeling as if it were about to beat right out of his chest. Suddenly, he felt something on his back, and whipped around, eyes wide.  
  
“Boo!” Fili roared, pushing Bilbo slightly on his chest, making him yelp in surprise and tumbling backwards, landing on the grass with a soft thud. The hobbit groaned in embarrassment once he heard Kili’s light laugh next to him.  
  
“Gotcha, Mister Bilbo” The dark-haired dwarf grinned next to his brother, before walking up to Bilbo and lending him a hand to help him get up.  
  
“You two…” He sighed, his heart still racing from the scare moments ago, before taking Kili’s hand and raising back onto his feet. “Could’ve given me a heart attack” Bilbo puffed, a frown playing about his lips, but his voice light with amusement.  
  
“Well, how else would’ve we woken ya?” Fili cocked his head to the side, his hair flopping over his back and shoulder.  
  
“You could’ve woken me _nicely._ And woken me for what?” The hobbit asked, crossing his arms across his chest, trying to calm his breathing. The two looked at each other for a moment, before exchanging the same knowing look.  
  
“We saw somethin’ across the field!” Kili said first, his voice lowering as he leaned closer to Bilbo’s ear. “An orc pack” He whispered, before wiggling his fingers in front of Mr.Baggins’s face to add a dramatic effect.  
  
Bilbo’s eyebrows raised instantly at the word ‘orc’. For he only thought of such creatures only in fairytales to get little hobbits to get to bed. “Orc p-pack?” He stuttered, blinking a few times as he looked at the young dwarves.  
  
“That’s right! Have you ever seen an orc, Master burglar?” Fili grinned, raising his eyebrows as he spoke slowly. Bilbo shook his head slowly, stepping back a step or two as the brothers approached him slowly.  
  
“They’re huge! Not to mention _deadly._ They ride on great beasts!” Kili said in a hushed tone, before Fili chimed in. “and their breaths smell so foul, it could kill a troll! They kill silently. You wouldn’t even know they were coming” Something rustled behind them, making Kili’s expression change, turning his attention to where the noise was made. Bilbo whipped around and backed closer to the protection of the dwarves so that he was peeking over Fili’s shoulder from behind.  
  
“W-What was that?” The younger dwarf whispered to his brother, wrapping two arms around Fili’s arm. The lighter-haired prince looked down at his younger brother with a confused expression.  
  
“Knock it off, Kee” Fili chuckled lightly, nudging him playfully in the arm.  
  
“I-I’m not joking this time!” He said quietly, backing a few steps away. Fili’s face turned serious once he looked into Kili’s eyes, and the three backed away slowly. The rustling came from behind them, and before they could turn around, a voice spoke out from the darkness.  
  
“What are you three doing out of bed at this hour?” This made all three of them shriek in surprise before scurrying off a few paces.  
  
“Uncle!” Kili’s voice shook as he laughed nervously, rubbing a hand on his neck awkwardly.  
  
“Get back to bed. Both of you” Thorin hissed lowly, watching the two dwarves run off back to their bedrolls without another word. The older dwarf looked down at Bilbo in the dark, no words leaving his mouth. The burglar looked up at the king with a blank expression, before nodding a few times and walking back to his resting area. The rest of the night went slowly and, once again, Bilbo watched the sun rise over the vast landscape, casting an orange glow on their surroundings.  
  
~x~  
  
To Bilbo’s relief, Thorin had called today to be a day to rest and freshen up. For Bilbo, this meant a day for bathing. They hadn’t stopped for a bath for weeks, and Mr.Baggins could hardly stand the putrid smell of sweaty dwarves and wet boots. Sure, he could go on without his handkerchief just fine, but he would at least make time for a wash.   
  
Excusing himself from the group, the hobbit stepped down from the tall hill where they had made camp, and stepped lightly through the field, the tall grass reaching past his waist as he walked through the green. The sun beamed down on them, with hardly any clouds in the sky, it was quite a nice day. Bees buzzed their way past Bilbo, landing from flower to flower in the field. He walked closer to the edge of the forest, before disappearing around a corner, to where he saw a large lake, which he had spotted on their way to the field. Mr.Baggins exhaled with delight once he saw the glistening, clear water that was in front of him, and began to strip free of his clothes. It didn’t take long before the hobbit wandered slowly into the water, the coldness biting at his skin as he entered the lake.   
  
“Finally” He hummed, before running his hands up and down his body, trying his best to wash himself clean without any use of soap or a scrub. Finally finished washing his body, he dipped himself underwater, shutting his eyes before disappearing under the surface. He re-emerged with a splash, shaking his head to flick the hair out of his face, using both hands to brush his hair back. The air was silent and cool, with only the sounds of insects, the leaves rustling in the wind and the soft ripples of the water meeting his ears. He stood up, planting his large feet into the sandy bed beneath him, stretching his arms over his head. Bilbo jumped slightly in surprise as he felt something small brush against his leg. Looking down, he giggled seeing small fish swirling around his legs, nipping at his toes in curiosity.

  
“Hey!” He yelped playfully, wiggling his toes, making the fish swim away quickly, before they returned once more. The hobbit raised a brow, before diving back under the water, feeling the cool liquid wash over him.   
  
“Bilbo, I was just coming to see if you were-“  
  
“Stop! I’m.. I’m..” Bilbo called in alarm as he recognised the low, heavy voice of Thorin from amongst the trees. He quickly turned around, covering himself as his face turned beet-red. He heard the heavy steps of Thorin from across the river behind him, stopping in their place. The hobbit noticed that he was in the middle of the lake, so Thorin wouldn’t be able to see much from where he was standing. But the feeling of the dwarf looking at him while he had no clothes on..  
  
Bilbo shuddered as he raised a hand to his mouth, his face hot.  
  
“I’ll come back later..” Thorin said after a moment, his voice hushed in a whisper, before jogging back to the dwarves. A minute or two passed before Bilbo turned around, his gaze turning to where Thorin was. He blinked a few times, before clasping his hands together in embarrassment. Part of him was relieved to see that the dwarf had left his spot, and that he was finally left alone to bathe in private. But something deep down wanted Thorin to be standing there at this moment. Perhaps, even, join him in the water.   
  
Bilbo shook his head at the thought, before dipping back under the water, letting the coolness of the water envelope him.   
  
“Don’t be foolish, Mister Baggins” He thought to himself, before wading out of the water and drying himself with a piece of cloth that he had brought from his pack. After sliding back into his clothing, he gathered his things and made his way back to The Company, the blush still remaining on his cheeks.  
  
~x~


	3. An Unexpected Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the days go by slowly, they are beginning to pick up their pace with the knowledge of an orc pack on their tails. What happens to Bilbo one night, is not something that anyone saw coming.

“Thorin! Can’t we rest?” Dori called out, before looking down at Ori, whose chest was heaving and patting him on the back reassuringly. The dwarf king who stood at the front of the group looked back at them, his mouth set in a straight line, his eyebrows furrowed together in it’s usual state.

“We do not have time to rest with an orc pack right behind us!” He said bitterly, his eyes scanning the faces of each dwarf in the company.

“Now, I do think we could spare an hour or two” Gandalf pointed out to Thorin, looking down at him with an eyebrow raised.

 The dwarf simply nodded and wandered off a few steps to look at the landscape in front of them. They had left the comfortable green field and lake and had begun trekking into a dense forest. It didn’t take long before they left the entrance to the forest well behind them. The trees stood tall, much taller than the ones they had previously run into, and their pine needles decorated the forest floor heavily. The sun had begun to set only a few moments before and the sky was painted in blues, pinks, purples and oranges. They didn’t bother making camp, but a few dwarves had put down their bedrolls to take a small nap. Others decided to have a good chat with each other, their presence to be known to the whole forest with the volume they were using. Bombur waddled over to start a fire while Dwalin and Balin were arguing on some plan route for up ahead.

Bilbo Baggins sat with his back against one of the giant trees that towered high above all of them, making a comfortable sort of cushiony feeling using the bed of pine needles beneath him. They had been jogging for a good hour, and his chest burned when he breathed, his heart thumping quickly even if they had stopped around ten minutes ago. His poor feet were filthy and his back was aching from carrying his pack behind him. 

Bilbo sighed in relief once he got into a comfortable position, and leaned his head back to rest it on the rough bark of the tree. It didn’t take long before the sun had disappeared behind the horizon, making the forest dark and unfamiliar, with the only light being the large fire that Bombur had prepared.

Suddenly, all the dwarves gathered together around the fire and sat quietly for a moment, before Bilbo heard Bofur began to sing. It was slow at first, and the words were in a language that he did not know. The dwarf slurred and sang it softly, before changing to quicker and more pronounced words, still not in common-tongue. The dwarves hollered and slapped their hands on their knees or stomped their feet on the solid ground as they picked up the tempo, some rising to dance to the tune.   
  
It went quicker and louder as the seconds went by, and before Bilbo thought he was going to go deaf, they concluded with yells and applause, throwing random things at Bofur. This confused the hobbit greatly, for he had never seen or heard dwarf performances. They were quite different to those of hobbit songs, for they sounded more hearty. The dwarves laughed loudly, nudging each other and telling Bofur to sing another. Without hesitation, the dwarf stood up once more and began to sing. This one was different, for it started fast and kept at it’s pace.

“Dwarves will be dwarves” Bilbo said to himself simply, shaking his head. After watching their merry singing and chatter, the hobbit decided it would be best to join them. He was to be with them for a good while longer, so why not get the chance to get closer to them while he could? Except Thorin. He realised that he was already on his bad side.

Before he could say anything, however, he felt cold, dry hands cover his mouth. Bilbo felt another set of hands wrap around both of his arms, and the three pairs of hands pulled him back sharply, into the darkness without a sound. The hobbit struggled, yelling furiously into the hand that covered his mouth. Breathing in, a putrid and unwelcoming smell met with his nose, and he gulped, trying to keep the bile down. He was dragged on the ground, his captors not seeming to care about the condition that Bilbo was to be in if they did not bother carrying him up. His knees scraped the small rocks on the ground, his back hitting uprooted roots and the sides of trees when they pulled him away. 

However, it didn’t take a moment for Bilbo to guess just exactly what had captured him. The horrid smell, complete with the large, cold hands and the inaudible gurgles from their presence. His mind quickly went to what Fili and Kili were talking about. Orcs. They kept moving, their steps making loud thuds against the ground. 

Quickly, Mr.Baggins shook his head and his mouth was free. Before the orc covered it back up again, he yelled sharply into the air, his voice echoing around the trees. Except, he heard no calls back. “They didn’t hear me..” He thought to himself, his heart sinking as the orc re-adjusted his hand.

His captors stopped moving suddenly, making Bilbo’s body jar at the sudden halt, his head hitting the rough, firm trunk of another tree sharply. The hobbit struggled against the hands, turning from side to side, trying to rip free of their grasp. Instead, he felt an unexpected, rough had slap against his face sharply, making the breath leave his mouth in shock. It stung, and he could imagine the red print that would lay on his cheek. Then he heard sudden heavy, steps behind him, followed by fierce growling and snapping. From the type of growling, the burglar could only guess that it belonged to the awful beasts they rode on. He remembered their names as wargs, for he had read fairy tales as a child often.   
  
Bilbo soon heard voices. Except, they weren’t like hobbit, elf, man or dwarf voices. They were rough, low, fierce voices that sent shivers running down Bilbo’s spine. They spoke in their own language, with slurs and spitting. After the “conversation” had finished, which was quite soon, the orcs flipped Bilbo around so that he could see what he was dealing with. His eyebrows raised and his eyes widened with fear as he looked into the dangerous faces of the orcs and the beasts on which they rode.

They were ugly. Uglier than any dwarf. Their faces looked mangled and swollen, with fiery eyes and sharp teeth that were crooked. Their skin was covered in deep scars and it looked like it was made out of a scaly sort of material. Their clothing was almost nothing, just rags draped over their bodies and tied around their waist. There were six orcs in total. The three that captured Bilbo, who were standing behind him and the three that had arrived on the wargs, who looked notably like giant, fierce wolves. They snapped and growled at each other, swinging a giant claw at another every now and then.   
  
The middle orc stepped off and squatted down, grabbing Bilbo’s chin sharply in his giant hand, his nails digging into the hobbits’ skin sharply. He grinned with sharp, uneven teeth and said something, before standing back up again and swinging back onto his warg. Thinking it all over, Bilbo looked fiercely at them. Suddenly, the middle orc flicked his hand, and his captors mumbled as they dragged him over towards the beasts. The warg that the orc in the middle rode on opened its mouth without hesitation, baring its sharp teeth as Bilbo got closer. The orc on his back patted the side of his head lightly, and it stopped baring its teeth, but kept it’s mouth wide open.

Suddenly, his captors let go of him and pushed him against the ground. Before Bilbo caught his breath to run away or to make a sound of any sort, the warg leaned forward and wrapped its jaws around his small frame, sinking his teeth into him as it picked him up. The hobbit squealed in pain, feeling the razor-sharp teeth dig further into his sides and arms, the weight almost crushing him. “Thori-“ He tried to call out, his voice small. He was cut off as the warg sunk its teeth deeper into him with a growl, making a scream leave Bilbo’s mouth.

The orcs laughed darkly, before turning their rides and walking forward, away from The Company and wizard. They strode on for a while, the pain soon becoming numb, spreading out through his body. He soon got used to the harsh swaying of the beast as it walked through the forest, stepping over rocks and stumps, occasionally stumbling over a loose piece of dirt.  
  
As Bilbo watched the tall trees above him, black dots started to cover his vision, the sounds around him slowly becoming more muffled with each step the animal took. His breathing slowed and his head began to spin, struggling to keep his heavy eyes open. Looking down slowly, he looked at the teeth that were dug into his back, chest and arms. The beast nodded its head, opening its jaws slightly to adjust its hop before clamping back down again, earning a painful groan from Bilbo. He blinked, his vision blurring and the corners of his vision becoming blacker by the second. Before his mind went blank, he heard a muffled yell, sounding as if he had water in his ears.   
  
The hobbit slowly turned to the right, hearing more yells and seeing people run up towards them slowly, as if they were in slow motion.  His eyes lazily scanned the faces of the people, his gaze resting on the familiar, warm, blue eyes of  Thorin Oakenshield. The dwarf looked back at him and something switched in his face. From determination and bravery, he looked as if he had seen a ghost. Fear and concern was all that Bilbo could see, before he shut his eyes and everything around him faded as if it were all a dream.

  
~x~

The hobbit woke slowly, his breathing deep and slow, blinking a few times to clear his vision up. He was staring at the sky, watching the sun glitter through the leaves, peeking down at him with an unfamiliar warmth. His vision was still blurry, no matter how many times he tried to clear it up. As he tried to move, he felt a sharp, deep pain shoot through his body, making him groan softly. Bilbo felt a warm, rough hand rest on his face, stroking his cheekbone softly with a thumb. He turned his head slightly, focusing on the face of Thorin Oakenshield. His eyes were red from exhaustion and his eyes were soft as he looked down at Bilbo with concern. The dwarf had a red cut running down his jaw, looking as if it was done a few hours ago.   
  
The hobbit noticed that they were moving on horseback, for he saw the head of the animal in front of him. Mr.Baggins also realised that he was resting on something warm and strong. A small gasp left his mouth as he realised that his head was leaning against Thorin’s chest. His body rested on his lap and his legs were on either side of the horses neck. Embarrassed, he looked back up at the dwarf, before feeling the pain that shook his body.

“It’s okay, Master Burglar.” His voice sounded like a whisper, as if he were still in a dream. Bilbo’s eyes drooped heavily, and they closed before he could remember what was happening.

~x~

Bilbo woke once more, except this time he was alert, sharp and quick. His heart thudded in his chest as he remembered the unexpected encounter with the orc pack that had captured him. His mind spun as he tried to remember what had happened afterwards. As he shuffled up, he felt the pain again. It was sharp and aching, running through his whole body. He blinked a few times, his vision returning to its sharp state and looked down at his body. His chest was wrapped with a sort of bandage, both of his arms wrapped in the same.  
  
Slowly, he raised his right arm and grabbed the end of the bandage that covered his left arm heavily. Unwrapping it, he looked down to see four, long, cuts around his arm. They were raw and swollen, but covered with some sort of paste. He groaned softly, looking as to where he was. It was dark, and Bilbo could spot stars dusted in the sky above him. Around them stood the familiar, tall trees that he had seen before he had ran into the orcs. They were in a clearing, he noticed, as there were no trees in the centre. There was no fire and Bombur was asleep on his stomach, snoring loudly as he slept. Mr.Baggins sighed in relief as he realised that he was back with The Company, noting all the dwarves around him.

Turning to his right softly, he noticed the body of Thorin Oakenshield himself. The dwarf slept next to him, parted by a few inches at most, his eyes shut as he slept soundlessly. Bilbo smiled softly as he watched Thorin’s chest rise and fall as he slept, the blush returning to his face once more. His eyes trailed down to where Thorin’s hand was, which seemed to be outstretched towards the hobbit. Slowly, wincing as he did so, Bilbo raised his arm and reached for the dwarfs’ hand, placing his softly in Thorin’s larger palm. He relished the feeling of the kings’ rough skin on his, and he shuffled forward slowly, so that they were in closer proximity.  
  
...

Before he closed his eyes to fall back into his sleep, he could’ve sworn he felt Thorin’s grasp on his hand tighten.

~x~


	4. Interruptions

The next few days took much longer than Bilbo hoped for. Mornings were a struggle, for he needed some assistance for most things- like carrying his pack and even changing clothes. Of course, he insisted that he would do it himself, but it turns out that dwarves do have _some_ manners, even if they’re subtle.   
  
It was mostly help from Nori and Dwalin in general, but all of The Company members seemed to help the hobbit in one way or another. Wether it was doing up his buttons on his coat or packing his things, they treated him as if he were rather helpless, which Bilbo did indeed feel like. Seven days had passed since they ran into the pack of orcs back in the forest (which was now behind them), and Bilbo often thought of it.  
  
He knew he was lucky to be well and breathing at this point, but fear had taken its toll over him, especially during the night. He would do what he usually did, set up his bedroll and smoke on his pipe before heading off to bed, but no matter how many times he tried to relax his mind before he dozed off, he would wake moments later to quick breathing, sweaty skin and his heart feeling as if it were about to thump right out of his chest. It would take him ages to force himself to get some rest, even if he needed to deal with the dreaded nightmares that clouded in his mind. They had been non-stop, ever since night one.  
  
Today did not seem so bad, fortunately. The clouds, which had covered the skies most days, seemed to be parted away and the sun beamed down on them. They were grateful for the steady breeze that swirled its way into the valley which they walked along now, relishing the cool, crisp air blowing against them. The pain had numbed over the hours, and while he still felt as if the jaws of the warg were still clamped down on him, he was managing quite well on his own. Where they were walking now, was most beautiful. Bilbo Baggins hadn’t really gotten the chance to take into account on the terrain that they walked on, for his minds were clouded with other things, but today, his mind was clear and he glanced around them as they walked steadily, taking in every detail he could.   
  
It was quite wide, with mountains sloping up on each side, with snow-packed peaks and sharp summits. In the middle of the valley, swirled a river, continuously rushing in the direction they walked in, splashing against rocks that were scattered in the water. On each side of the river, were flat fields, some with short grass and some with long grass that was up to Bilbo’s elbows. Every now and then, the fields would be dotted with a tree or two, but otherwise, the land was pretty smooth around them.  
  
Looking up ahead, however, the mountains dipped down and it spread into a wider plane of green, stretching further than he could see. It wasn’t smooth like the terrain in which they were trekking in now, though. Ahead, Bilbo could see that it was covered in dry bushes and rocks and slopes and hills, with little to no trees at all. Great boulders stood leaning against each other, looking as if they were to tumble down the hill at any moment. The hobbit felt dread as he noticed that they were nearing tougher terrain, but non-the-less, he pushed himself forward, striding steadily next to Dwalin.   
  
They had to loose their ponies a few days ago, as they would be unable to drag them across the land which they were heading in, and Bilbo soon got used to the burning sensation that spread through his legs.  
  
At last, the sun began to set, ending yet another day, and The Company decided to set camp just at the end of the valley, so that it would make for a quicker start to the tough terrain in the morning. As usual, Bombur set up the fire and Ori offered to help Bilbo unpack his roll and sit down, which the hobbit happily let him. The night went fairly quickly at first, with the dwarves merrily chatting about around the warm comfort of the fire. Mr.Baggins had excused himself from the conversation, leaning against a smooth-surfaced rock, listening as he tried to take his mind off the aching form his cuts. It didn’t take long before the dwarves were fast asleep, some lying on each other around the fire, snoring loudly.   
  
Bilbo was the first to wake, as he usually was. It was a few hours before sunrise, Bilbo could tell as he looked a the moon, which was slowly sinking in the sky. However, it wasn’t much of a peaceful awakening. His heart was racing, beads of sweat collected on his face, flinching at every sound that he could hear, whizzing around when there was the sound of a leaf drifting down to the forest floor. He bit on the inside of his cheek, his eyes wide as he thought about the encounter with the orcs he had. What would be of him if the dwarves didn’t find him? Bilbo would’ve been killed, and the hobbit grimaced at the thought of death. It was not a very pleasant thought.  
  
Quickly, the burglar slowly rose to his feet and wandered a while away from the group of sleeping dwarves. He walked forward, towards where the rougher land stood and turned a corner, following the curve of the stream that curled around the end of the mountain slope. Looking around him uneasily, he slowly lowered himself to the pebble-covered ground, sitting down with a crack on the small rocks. Slowly, he drew his legs to his chest, wincing as he leaned his torso against his thighs, his cuts stinging as he did so. Resting his chin on the top of his knees, he wrapped his arms around his legs, his eyes staring at the glittering water in front of him. Bilbo thought that it was a cowardly for him to feel so frightened.   
  
He was nothing more than a burden at this point, utterly helpless in times of need and plain dead-weight. Bilbo’s breath shook as he breathed in, feeling his eyes swell up with tears that threatened to roll down his cheeks, which he finally gave permission to let them do so. He made no effort to stop them from falling. Why should he?  
  
Leaves cracked behind him, and the hobbit quickly stood up, backing away a few steps, breathing loudly.  
  
“Easy, Master Burglar. I was just wondering what you were doing out of bed” Thorin hummed from the darkness, before stepping forward, the light from the sinking moon showing him to the hobbit. The dwarf had a smug smile playing on his lips as he walked forward, an eyebrow raised. It surprised Bilbo to see his expression change so quickly once he seemed to notice the tears that slowly fell. “Bilbo..” Thorin whispered, walking quicker to stand in front of the hobbit. Without warning, the king raised a hand softly to his face, his thumb grazing across Bilbo’s smooth skin as he wiped the tears away soothingly, hushing as he did so. 

“I haven’t been sleeping well lately” Bilbo choked as he calmed himself, adding a light shrug. The two were only a few steps apart. His blue eyes trailed down his chest, as if he could see the wounds that the beasts had left him.  
  
“I-It’s fine. Thanks to Gloin, I’m sure that the scars will be hardly noticeable” Mr.Baggins laughed lightly, his eyes gleaming as he looked up at the king. Thorin smiled down at him, nodding as if he was reassuring himself, and placed a warm hand on Bilbo’s shoulder.  
  
“You do know that I am here if you are in need of my assistance” Thorin said formally, which Bilbo nodded his head to slowly. They stood next to each other for a while, their eyes scanning over the view around them as they took in the sight of the field and misty mountains that lay in the far distance and the smaller ones that stood towering behind them. They watched the sun peak over the land, casting the familiar orange-pink glow of a sunset.  
  
Shyly, the hobbit looked up at Thorin, his eyes stuck on the dwarfs’ mouth, blinking slowly. His mind thought of what it would be like to lean forward, to stand up on his toes and kiss him out of the blue. Surely, it was a ridiculous idea, but there Bilbo was, leaning forward and pushing up on his toes. Thorin turned and looked down at the hobbit, his eyes softening as he released the change in space between two. Slowly, the king leaned down, his lips just hovering over Bilbo’s. Their noses brushed against each others for a moment, making the hobbits’ face warm up with a blush.   
  
Just as Bilbo was about to close the space between the two, a voice sounded from a while away in front of them.  
  
“Thorin! Bilbo!” It was Fili’s voice, and soon enough he came running up to them, unaware of what the two had just been doing. His eyebrows were raised in distress and his face was twisted with worry. “We’ve got a problem!” Fili’s gaze turned to Thorin and he gave a subtle nod, which Thorin returned and quickly ran forward.  
  
The three jogged back to the fire, where the dwarves ran about the campsite, fumbling their items in their hands and stuffing them in their packs. “Uhm, excuse me. Mind telling me what’s going on?” He asked once they were amongst the others. Balin waddled up behind him, placing a large, gloved hand on his back.   
  
“Orcs” He breathed, his voice rough.  
  
“Again?” Bilbo said, just above a whisper, before he trotted off and swung his pack over his head. Quickly grabbing his roll and stuffing it in his bag, the group set off in a steady run across the terrain, with Gandalf leading the way. The wizard stumbled over uneven rocks as he lead, holding onto his hat with one had as to make sure that it wouldn’t blow away whilst he was running.  
  
As they ran, Bilbo heard the loud howl of a warg behind them, followed by a few more coming from their left and right. The hobbit picked up the pace as his mind wandered to the look that the beast gave him when it stared in straight in the eye, it’s teeth sharp and bared. Shortly after the howls, came the gurgles and the growls of the orcs on their beasts. They ran further inland, slowing down a bit as Kili had caught his leg in a hole that had been dug out of the ground by some small creature. Looking back, the hobbit spotted the wargs running quickly after them, only a mile or two behind them.  
  
“Do we have a plan?!” Dori called out from in front, breathing between words as he ran heavily across the ground.  
  
“Do wait one second!” Gandalf huffed, and the dwarves whizzed around at the sound of a warg closing in on them. As it ran towards Bifur with open jaws, the younger prince set an arrow in the bow and let it loose, firing right in the centre of the orcs chest, making it tumble off the creature and falling to the floor with a thud. The warg snarled and leaped at Kili, who shot another one in it’s shoulder, with Thorin finishing it off, brushing the hair out of his face once he did it.   
  
“Where on earth has 'eh gone?!” Bofur called out, alarmed as he couldn’t spot the wizard anywhere.  
  
“He’s abandoned us!”  
  
“Left us to die!”  
  
“We should’ve known better!” The dwarves shouted at one another, walking slowly backwards as the pack closed in on them. Suddenly, Bilbo felt a tug in his trousers, and he fell backwards, expecting to hit solid ground. Instead, he fell a little way down, before rolling down a dirt slope and falling into Gandalf’s arms, which were outstretched to catch him from his fall. Relieved, the hobbit looked up, seeing the crack which he had fallen down.

“You fools!” The wizard hollered from below, catching Ori and Nori’s attention, before they hopped into the crack. Followed quickly by the others, Thorin was last to jump down. There were growls and sounds of claws raking the dirt before a horn blew, arrows whizzed and then silence.   
  
“Elves..” Dwalin muttered, recognising the sweet, soft blow of the horn.  
  
“There’s a tunnel this way!” Bofur interrupted, appearing from around a corner in the cave which they stood in now. “What should we do? Follow it or stay here?” He ticked his head to the side, his eyes searching the faces of the dwarves for answers.  
  
“Follow it, of course!” Balin shouted, walking quickly after Bofur as he disappeared around the corner. Bilbo nodded swiftly, shooting a quick smile at Gandalf before walking quickly after the others. The tunnel twisted and turned randomly, sometimes sloping up and then winding back down again. Although, the hobbit didn’t complain. In fact, he rarely did. Time for silence meant time for thinking, as he always said. Thinking that he almost just kissed the same dwarf king whom was brutal during their first meeting. It’s strange how people change.   
  
The group of dwarves stopped in their tracks, making Bilbo ram against Bombur’s backside and bouncing off against Thorin, hitting his chest. The hobbit’s face turned beet-red once he turned around and looked into Thorin’s face nervously, before shuffling back to where he was. The dwarves spread out, having left the narrow tunnel which they were travelling through and stumbled out into the open. Bilbo walked forward, about to step onto the flat rock that the others stood on, before he was pulled back instantly by something. Turning back, Mr.Baggins noticed that his pack had gotten stuck between the walls of the tunnel and was lodged in between the two walls. Slowly, he slid his arms out of the straps and awkwardly pulled it out, before joining Gloin’s side, before he looked as to where they were.  
  
A gasp escaped his mouth as he tried to take everything in. The orange-pink glow from the sunrise gave off a sort of glow, which radiated beautifully to where they were. Here, as Bilbo could recognise by hours of reading about elvish lands and culture, was Rivendell. The buildings were of most genius architecture, with many designs and details in all the right places. They looked thin and gentle, but also quite sturdy.   
  
What caught Bilbo’s attention the most, however, was where it was located. Right in the middle of some sort of pit-like place. Mountains surrounded the outside. Mountains of green, with little to no snow covering the peaks. Waterfalls poured down the sides of these mountains, glowing pink with the light, and crashing down on a river below that winded its way out. Trees swayed as the wind blew, rustling their leaves, giving a lot for one to hear.   
  
It took a moment for the hobbit to realise, but he heard the distant and light strumming of elvish instruments. Things like harps and flutes, which seemed to be played by the elves a lot. Bilbo also caught a soft, but steady voice singing with the music. The piece sounded smoother than wind, flowing beautifully without any faults that he could note. However, it seemed to Bilbo that there were some amongst The Company who were not particularly glad to be here.   
  
Thorin had raised his voice moments ago, speaking with Gandalf ruffly as to why they’re here. Something about runes on a map that only they could read? Bilbo thought nothing of it, as it didn’t seem important at this time. He rubbed his hands together, his smile finally returning to his face as he forgot about the aching pain that ran throughout his body.  
  
“…which is why you will leave the talking to me” Gandalf concluded with a nod, looking sternly at the stubborn dwarf king. Thorin simply waved his hand, dismissing the conversation and crossing his arms over his chest angrily, shuffling his foot against the dirt.  
  
“G-Gandalf?” The hobbit piped up once they started making their way to the bridge that connected the pathway to Rivendell. The wizard huffed in reply, looking down at Bilbo curiously. “What exactly are we seeking?”   
  
Gandalf mumbled something in reply, before clearing his throat. “More, _who_ we are seeking. And I seek a council with Elrond, if you must know” The old wizard nodded to himself, ending the conversation before Bilbo could ask anymore questions like; ‘A council for what?’. The question remained in his head for what would be the rest of the day, until morning came and they would be able to meet Elrond more officially.  
  
As they stepped along the narrow bridge that stretched across the gap between a mountain and Rivendell, Bilbo let his eyes trace every detail, every line that he could find. For he always wanted to visit the elves, ever since he was just a wee lad. The lifestyle of the elves always seemed inviting to him, no matter how different they were in height. They were gentlefolk, but still powerful.   
  
Bilbo smiled to himself, adding a skip in his step as he stopped an elf waiting apon the stairs, his dark hair neatly hanging over his shoulders and down his back. ‘Do all elves have such fair skin?’ Bilbo thought to himself as the elf walked over to Gandalf with a kind smile and open arms.  
  
…

  
“Mithrandir. It is good to see you again”  
  
~x~


	5. The Last Homely House

**~x~**  
  
Bilbo woke from an uneasy rest, his eyes still heavy as he looked around, taking in his surroundings. They had arrived at Rivendell yesterday evening and were taken in kindly by the elves. They were wondrous people. They walked and talked gracefully and seemed to know their way around the small kingdom like it was the back of their hand. Their voices were soothing and they were the first people The Company had encountered that didn’t seem threatening during their journey. They spoke with concern once they heard of Bilbo's injuries.   
  
The elves had offered to take him to the medic, where he was given some paste to put on it and had it wrapped up in bandages. He had barely noticed the pain after the elves had given him the medicine yesterday, and today, Bilbo barely noticed that they were there. He lay on a plush mattress which was lain on top of a wooden-carved bed frame, covered with a thin, white sheet and soft pillows which Bilbo could lay against for hours.  
  
The light from the sun peeking into the valley which they were in now caught Bilbo from his thoughts, and his mind wandered to where the dwarves were being kept- or perhaps, if they had left him behind. Panic rose through his body as he thought about abandoning the quest so soon into the journey, and he pushed himself slowly up with his elbows, placing two, large feet on the floor and standing with a slight wobble. His wounds ached, but there was no sharp pain that he would’ve felt only the day before.  
  
With quiet steps, Bilbo Baggins shuffled over to a large door that closed his room off from the hallways. He pushed down on the cold, golden handle and walked outside, his eyes flicking quickly as he took in what lay around him. He noticed a lot of things before he went to bed last night, but the daylight gave him more of a chance to look at things. Bilbo always found the elves to be beautiful, wondrous people whom he could see himself living with. But for such terms to be made was not today, and with a swift nod, Bilbo pressed on, his eyes scanning the area for the dwarves.  
  
It didn’t take long before he heard large splashes and hearty laughter, followed by hollering and more splashes. Turning a corner, Bilbo’s eyes came to find the dwarves skinny dipping in one of the large fountains of Rivendell. There was not one that was covered in clothes, and as some turned around, Bilbo wrinkled his nose at the sight of unwelcoming amounts of body hair. He watched as a few dwarves slipped and tumbled down the top of the fountain, landing on each other with loud splashes. Hearty laughter followed soon after.  
  
The hobbit did not know what his eyes were searching for when he spotted the dwarves, until his eyes rested on Thorin. Unlike his kin, the dwarf was standing a little way away from the fountain. But, like them, he was butt-naked. Mr.Baggins’s eyebrows raised as he gazed at the dwarf lovingly. His skin was glistening, covered in drops of water. His hair was splayed randomly across his back and on his shoulders. The king raised a towel to his face, dabbing it softly before flicking it out and began to wrap it around his hips. Before he covered himself from view, however, Bilbo caught sight of his-  
  
“Master Hobbit. Please-” A male elf began to speak behind him before stopping as he noticed the commotion behind the hobbit. Bilbo’s face was beet-red when he turned around, embarrassed to have been caught staring at a _naked_   Thorin. The elf cleared his throat, gathering himself together before continuing. “Please collect your companions. Breakfast is to be served with Lord Elrond, so please do it with haste”  
  
“Ah, yes. Yes, of course” Bilbo stuttered awkwardly before the elf excused himself quickly and walked off in a hurry, mumbling in disbelief of the dwarves’ behaviour. With a sigh, Bilbo turned around on his heel.  
  
“Hey! Fili, put your clothes on! Breakfast is to be served soon” Bilbo called out to the nearest dwarf, who was also nude. The young prince nodded enthusiastically, before skipping off to tell the rest that they would soon bite into their meal.  
  
~x~  
  
Breakfast was delightful. Eggs, bread with butter and jam, salad and many more marvellous foods that Bilbo hadn’t had the pleasure of tasting in his life. No one would’ve ever seen a hobbit eat as fast as Bilbo did, for he kept asking for more servings until there was no more left or until he was comfortably full. They sat at a long, rectangular table made of something that resembled closely to marble. The edges of the table were carved in beautiful patterns, swirling into vines or flowers at the edges.  
  
Everything were to be filled with elegance, if it weren't the dining habits of the dwarves. Food was being thrown across the table and the dwarves had erupted in non-stop chatter ever since they first came down to eat. It didn’t give Lord Elrond a chance to speak to them of why they were gathered, until Gandalf had to silence The Company himself. Elrond dipped his head in a silent thanks to the old wizard, before raising himself from his seat, looking down at his fellow guests.  
  
“I suppose you are all wondering why I have gathered you here, except for the reason to eat” He said simply, a brow sternly raised as he watched Bofur roll a sausage down the table for Bombur to quickly stuff in his mouth, but looking at the elf as if nothing had happened. Elrond sighed deeply with a shake of his head, before continuing.  
  
“I have heard of what journey you have embarked on. And while I can say that it sounds downright foolish-“ He stopped when Thorin interrupted his throat, staring Elrond dead in the eye before taking a gulp of ale. “- it is not in my power to stop you. The road that lies ahead is treacherous and dangerous. I offer you hospitality to stay a few days, until your hobbit has gathered his strength once more” The dwarves fell silent. Most of them seemed to agree immediately with Lord Elrond had to say, nodding and nudging each other with soft mumbles. A few, however, seemed to be torn.  
  
“And what would I owe you in return?” Thorin pursued, tracing a finger around the bottom of the glass.  
  
“Nothing more than your thanks” Elrond dipped his head, thin strands of his hair falling from his back to his shoulders. The dwarf simply huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and raising a brow as he watched the elf rise from his small bow suspiciously. Bilbo silently watched Dwalin stretch his neck over to Thorin to whisper something in his ear, causing the king to nod slowly in agreement.  
  
“You have our thanks” He spoke deeply from the silence, forcing a smile on his lips. Elrond smiled down at the dwarves in delight, before walking back over to his seat and resuming his conversation with Gandalf.  
  
~x~  
  
“Try bending your knees more before you charge” Fili called out from a way in front of Bilbo. The hobbit groaned in frustration, before adjusting the way he stood.  
  
The following afternoon came fairly quickly, with the morning being quite relaxing after a filling breakfast. Bilbo had been lounging on a bench that was placed in front of a wide garden when he was quite rudely interrupted by Fili and Kili. They had insisted that he was to be spending months with them, that he should be at least useful to some extent and had practically dragged him over to a clearing to practice with a sword. Of course, the hobbit was no good at fighting, but the two dwarves tried their best not to discourage him.  
  
“One, two, three!” Kili called out once more.  
  
The younger dwarf was perched on a tall boulder, a sly smile playing on his lips as he looked forward to what the hobbit had to offer. They had been practicing for several hours, and Bilbo’s muscles ached as he prepared to clash swords with the skilled swordsman. Fili sprung out from his stance, running quickly towards the hobbit with his sword raised above his head. Mr.Baggins gulped before charging at Fili, trying his best to keep his weapon still above his head.  
  
Before they ran into each other, Bilbo shut his eyes and was surprised to feel the heavy body-weight of Fili against his and hearing the sharp sound of two swords hitting each other. Opening an eye slowly, he smiled proudly to see that he had blocked the younger dwarfs’ attack, and quickly pushed against him, making Fili stumble back a few paces. With a determined grin on his face, the dwarf charged again.  
  
Thinking he was prepared, Bilbo placed his sword in the same place, but was surprised when Fili ducked under and drew his leg against Bilbo’s ankle, swinging forward and sending the hobbit face-first against the solid ground with an “Oof”.  
  
Despite the brief pain on his cheek, he giggled softly when he heard Kili’s cheers from the other side of the clearing and turned to see the younger dwarf with both arms in the air, waving them around in triumph, chanting “Fili! Fili! Fili!”  
  
Bilbo propped himself up with both elbows and turned to face the golden prince once more.  
  
“Ready for another one?” Fili grinned down at Bilbo, who was just slightly shorter than him. Without the slightest hesitation, the hobbit nodded enthusiastically and jogged back over to his spot. It was strange for Bilbo to like such a thing as practicing with a weapon- a _sword_. Never in his long life did he think that he would even see such a thing. Yet, here he was, learning how to use one.  
  
“You can do it, Bilbo! Finish Fee off once and for all!” Kili cheered from behind his brother, making silly faces behind his back, causing Bilbo to laugh a hearty laugh, something that he hadn’t done since he left The Shire. Unbeknownst to the three, Thorin sat under a tree that rested on the edge of the clearing, silently watching as the hobbit would repeatedly get taken down by his nephew. The king would occasionally laugh if Bilbo fell down a funny way or tried to swat Fili on the shoulder when he would trip him again. However, laughing loudly was a mistake if he was not meant to be found, for Kili had heard his laughter and waddled quickly over to his uncle.  
  
“Thorin! Come, you must teach Bilbo some new things. I think Fee is having a bit too much fun” Kili grinned, pulling his uncle by the wrist towards the hobbit. Mr.Baggins’s eyes widened when he saw that Thorin was approaching with a frustrated expression. Awkwardly, the two brothers giggled and stepped back a few paces, muttering between themselves as they watched Thorin and Bilbo.  
  
Bilbo’s mind instantly flew back to the moment they had in the forest. They had almost kissed, if it hadn’t been for the interruption of the older brother. The hobbit could still recall Thorin’s warm breath on his cheeks, and the warmth that he filled Bilbo’s heart with. The dwarf nodded to himself, before crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
“Alright. Show me your stance” Thorin nodded, with Bilbo quickly obeying, making sure to bend his knees as Fili instructed. With a light hum, the dwarf king walked in a circle around him, inspecting his position. “Try to keep-“ Thorin spoke, standing behind Bilbo and placing a hand on the small of his back, pushing softly to make sure that Bilbo could feel his hand there. But the hobbit felt his hand on his back even without the soft push. “-these muscles tight. A stronger core means better balance” Thorin said against Bilbo’s ear, before turning on his heel and walking backwards once he got in front of Bilbo.  
  
“Show me what you got” He said, his voice low and his usually dark eyes filled with amusement and curiosity. Bilbo smirked before running quickly up to the dwarf, ducking as Thorin swung his sword into the air. Remembering Fili’s technique, he swung his foot against Thorin’s ankle.  
  
However, before he could imagine the look on Thorin’s face when he would trip, the feet jumped up in the air and landed back on the ground on the other side of Bilbo. Quickly, standing up, the hobbit turned to Thorin. Panting, he swung his sword at Thorin’s elbow, which the dwarf king effectively blocked with his sword. They swung at one another for a few more moments, before Thorin quickly ran behind the hobbit and pressed his foot hard against the inside of Bilbo’s knee, which happened to be the one he was putting his weight on. Bilbo collapsed to the floor, raising his hands up in defeat..  
  
“Okay, okay. You win, oh King Under the Mountain” Bilbo said, breathlessly laughing as Kili helped Bilbo up. “I do think that we’ve done enough training for the day, don’t you?” The burglar suggested, silently begging for a break.  
  
Before anyone could answer, they heard heavy footsteps coming from behind them. Nori and Dori appeared from the shelter of the trees, jogging towards Thorin. Bilbo would’ve ignored the situation if it weren’t for the concerned expressions on their faces.  
  
“I’m afraid we have a wee problem” Nori winced, looking up at Thorin.  
  
“What’s wrong?” Fili muttered, his brows raised in worry.  
  
“It’s Ori” Dori replied quickly, squeezing the bridge of his nose with a large hand.  
  
“What has he done now?” Thorin said suddenly, the tone in his voice changing from light and easy to stressed and firm.  
  
…  
  
“He’s missing”  
  
**~x~**


	6. A Drawing for Bilbo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kinda steamy in this one, haha. WARNING if you don’t like intimate shirtless wound-cleaning stuff. So, kinda nsfw?
> 
> Ori’s gone missing and The Company, along with the help of the elves, search the grounds for the young dwarf. Mr.Bilbo gets himself another wound, and to Bilbo’s surprise (and delight), it’s Thorin who helps him clean it up.

The thought of the stay at Rivendell being relaxing instantly left Bilbo’s mind when he heard of Ori gone off somewhere without anyone knowing. They had stopped what they were doing instantly and spread the word of the missing dwarf. With instructing all they could, they began to search the grounds for them. Nori and Dori had run off, helping them search.   
  
Unlike the others, however, Bilbo decided to set out in search of Ori’s brothers, whom would’ve been with him last. The hobbit briskly walked past the frantic dwarves and elves as they looked, and exhaled in relief once he spotted Nori sitting with both hands in his lap on the edge of the fountain where they were swimming hours before. The dwarf looked up, having heard Bilbo’s steps, and smiled weakly, patting beside him as to offer the hobbit to sit down. He merely dismissed it with his hand, before getting to business.

“Do you know why Ori’s gone?” Bilbo asked softly, careful not to worry Nori if he hadn’t.

The dwarf nodded softly, before looking down at his hands and fumbling his thumbs gently, as if he was hiding something. The burglar bit the inside of his cheek, before continuing.  
  
“Am I allowed to ask what happened?” He asked warily, deciding to sit down next to him.  
  
“Aye” Nori began with a sad sigh, before looking into Bilbo’s eyes. “I didn’t mean nothin’ by it. Just teasing him, is all. You see, Ori’s somethin’ of an artist. It’s great, his drawings, and sometimes he’s just a bit sensitive. He was drawing and I just teased him a bit ‘bout it. Perhaps I said to much, for the wee lad had tears in his eyes before runnin’ off, faster than us. I’m awfully sorry and now I’m worried that he might not come back” He choked slightly, almost without Bilbo noticing, as if he were pushing down his feelings. The hobbit nodded sympathetically, awkwardly patting him on his shoulder before turning to face him, with a face full of determination.  
  
“Do you know where he could be?”  
  
“Well, this ain’t the first time, you must understand. We normally find him in some tree or by a river. Aye, it’ll be hard finding him in a place like this, but he’s awfully clumsy. Bound to leave some footprints or marks as clues” Nori nodded, his mind going back to the other times that he had accidentally made Ori upset. With a brief smile, Bilbo stood up and began walking. He was stopped, however, when the dwarf grabbed his elbow and spun him around.  
  
“If you do find him, could you tell him I’m sorry?”  
  
Mr.Baggins smiled lightly “Of course” He said, before running off in search of the dwarf.  
  
~x~  
  
It took longer than Bilbo thought. The elves and dwarves seemed to be searching in all the wrong places, looking inside rooms and through hallways, getting frustrated when they couldn’t find him. Bilbo had walked far into the woods just around Rivendell and had been searching for a few hours before he got the first trace that Ori had passed through this way. The younger dwarf had left large footprints in the muddy ground, which proved most helpful to Bilbo, directing him to where he could possibly be.  
  
However, they would stop before he seemed to notice any other sign, and would leave the hobbit wandering without a sense of direction in the deep forest. He would find a scratch or two on a tree, or snapped twigs, but the hobbit was no good at tracking down someone. Bilbo never did anything of the sort, and he was just about to give up when he heard a shaky sniff coming from above.  
  
He looked around as the sniffing continued, glancing up at the tall trees that peered down at him. Bilbo searched their branches desperately, hoping that the noise belonged to the missing dwarf. It seemed like luck was on his side, for he spotted Ori sitting in a wide birch tree just a few steps ahead.  
  
“Oh thank goodness” Bilbo sighed to himself, before rushing up to the base of the tree, placing both hands on the smooth bark. “Ori?” He called up, his eyebrows pushed together in worry.  
  
“Oh, hello Mr.Baggins” He called down, his voice wavering. His eyes were red and he continued to sniff, signalling that he had been crying moments before. “Did you come to take me back? Because I won’t until Nori apologises” Ori said, making a brave face before looking down at his paper-book that he held in his hands. Bilbo searched his mind for a moment, thinking of the right words to say, before smiling up at the younger dwarf.  
  
“No, no. In fact, I came to join you” He said, taking Ori by surprise, before rolling up his sleeves to his elbows and wrapping his arms around the trunk of the tree.  
  
With a grunt, Bilbo placed both feet on the bark and pushed up, before reaching for a low-hanging branch that looked strong enough to hold his weight. Pulling himself up, he wrapped his hands around a few more branches above him, slowly making his way to where Ori sat. Bilbo didn’t notice it until he scooted next to the dwarf, but they sat quite high in the tree, looking down at the ground as if it were miles under them. They sat in silence, Ori’s sniffling subsiding and Bilbo’s heart rate slowing down as he got used to the dreadful hight of the tree.  
  
“That’s a lovely drawing” The hobbit said gently, peeking down at Ori’s book. It was roughly sketched, and of an elf playing an instrument that looked similar to a violin, except it’s shape was curvier, the neck was longer and it only had three strings. The elf had long hair, falling down her back and over her shoulders. She was smiling, and even though it was only a drawing, it looked even more lifelike than the actual elves. Bilbo admired it greatly, and never knew of the dwarf’s talent.  
  
“Quite amazing” He added, nodding with approval. Ori looked at Bilbo, who was around his height, and smiled with appreciation.  
  
“Thank you. Not many people say anything of it” He smiled, his cheeks blushing red at the attention. “Dori does say something every now and then, but mostly after Nori’s gone off about how it looks weird or how it’s a waste of my time” The brown-haired dwarf shrugged sadly, tracing his line over the fine edges of the drawing.  
  
“He apologised, by the way. He said he meant it to be nothing but a tease” Bilbo quickly stated, making sure that Ori knew that his brother understood his mistake and was sorry about it. The young dwarf grinned, raising his eyebrows before looking back at his drawings. He sat quietly for a moment, before jumping up in his seat and turning to Bilbo excitedly, as if he had thought of a grand idea.  
  
“Oh! How about I draw you? I’ve never really asked anyone to let me do a portrait for them, but I do think that you would be great practice for me!” He clapped his hands as if he were a toddler, his eyes bright and full of excitement. Mr.Baggins laughed gently, before giving in with a soft nod and turning to face Ori, swinging his leg around the other side of the branch. “Go for it” He grinned, straightening his back and relaxing his face as Ori began to draw.  
  
It seemed to take no time at all, even though it was about an hour before he was done. For Bilbo, however, it seemed like merely minutes before Ori said he was done.  
  
With a sigh of relief, he slouched his back slightly and raised a hand to his nose, which had an itch the whole time Ori was drawing. With a quick countdown, the dwarf turned his book to face Bilbo and smiled proudly. It was quite impressive. In fact, it was practically dead on. It had been shaded with lines, instead of smudged. The hobbit smiled gratefully at him.  
  
“It’s amazing! You have a real talent”  
  
“Would you like to take it? I haven’t the use for it” Ori offered, tearing out the page before Bilbo could answer. Without a word, the hobbit gently took it and folded it up, putting it inside of his coat-pocket, patting it steadily with a smile.  
  
“I do suppose we should get back now. Thorin’s got the elves looking high and low for you” Bilbo said, before carefully placing his foot down on the branch below him, hopping that it wouldn’t snap under his weight. “Actually, do you want to go first? I’m quite a slow climber and I’m afraid I’ll slow you down” He said nervously, looking up at Ori with a weak smile.  
  
The dwarf said nothing and nodded, swinging himself below the hobbit and swiftly climbing down to the bottom with ease. Bilbo glanced down below the branches, seeing the worried expression of Ori looking back up at him. With a deep breath, the hobbit began to climb. He felt more worried, this time, and the branches shook when he stepped on one or grabbed onto one. Bilbo hadn’t made much progress before his wounds on his body started to burn, feeling as if they were on fire. He yelped in alarm, instantly letting go of the branch and drawing an arm to his chest in pain. It only took a split second for Bilbo to realise that he lost his grip on the branch and now was tumbling down the tree, thumping against the branches.  
  
Before he hit the solid ground, he seemed to be pushed forward by a branch that jutted-outwards and then fell backwards. This caused something sharp and rough to dab hard into his shoulder, breaking past his skin and deep into his shoulder. He cried out in pain, the burning spreading quickly throughout his body before Ori managed to catch him in his arms.  
  
The dwarf flipped Bilbo over quickly, saying things that Bilbo couldn’t hear, his breathing quick. The hobbit felt the familiar thick, warm liquid pool from his shoulder and down his arm, making him shiver before he was lifted up once more and carried back to Rivendell.  
  
~x~  
  
“Mahal, what are we going to do with you” Thorin whispered from behind Bilbo, placing a hand around the wound on his shoulder. They stood next to a large pond, deep enough to reach Bilbo’s collarbone if he were to go in the middle.  
  
When Ori had carried him back, some of Bilbo’s cuts on his body had opened up whilst he was climbing down and had caused him to loose his grip on the tree. His back had also collided with a broken branch that was split, causing it to become sharp and pointed, which acted something like a dagger. Gloin had advised him to clean his wounds, but such a task was merely impossible in the condition he was currently in. Thorin had volunteered to help the hobbit, to Bilbo’s surprise.  
  
The sun had set behind the distant mountains and valleys moments ago, casting a purple-pink shadow across the land that lay before it. Bilbo walked forward  softly, placing one foot in slowly, feeling the cool temperature of the water prick at his skin. He continued to wade through until he could sit and the water was just below his armpits. Bilbo said nothing as he heard Thorin move behind him, getting on his knees.  
  
Slowly, the dwarf reached around Bilbo’s body, undoing the bottoms and slipping his jacket off, leaving a beige long-sleeved blouse a scarf. He continued to strip Bilbo of his clothes, removing the scarf. Thorin paused before wrapping his fingers around the hem of the hobbits’ shirt, lifting it over his arms and head, leaving Bilbo sitting shirtless with his back to Thorin. A warm blush swept over Bilbo’s cheeks as he felt the cool wind blow against his bare skin, making him shiver. And the thought of Thorin seeing him like this..  
  
The dwarf slowly raised a cloth to the wound on Bilbo’s shoulder and gently dabbed around it, softly clearing the hard-blood off of his creamy skin. The hobbit winced as the water would get in his wound, stinging, but kept his cries in once he felt Thorins hand on his back to keep him steady. It was an unfamiliar feeling. His fingers and palm were calloused and his rough hand was very much different to Bilbo’s soft and smooth skin.  
  
However, he didn’t dare move his hand away. Thorin continued to dab around the wound, clearing the blood off.  
  
“If you keep getting hurt like this, you won’t live to see Erebor” Thorin whispered gruffly, before pressing the cloth on top of Bilbo’s wound softly, making sure to cause him the least amount of pain as possible. Bilbo breathed in a sharp intake of air, biting on his tongue to keep his cries in.  
  
“It won’t happen again. You have my word” He said breathlessly, softly leaning against Thorin’s touch. It was funny, how such a thing as cleaning up a wound could be as intimate as it was. Bilbo had never done such a thing with another person, especially with one whom he had grown very fond of. Yes, it was quite something that would only cease to exist in a dream or in his mind. Yet, it was happening right then, and Bilbo never wished he was anywhere else but with the dwarf king.  
  
“It better not” Thorin whispered, almost in-audible as he stroked around the wound with his cloth, removing any bits of blood or dirt that he had missed before. His hand traveled south, down his spine, to where the rounded cuts from the warg had opened slightly, and began to clean those as well.  
  
The dwarf’s face was crimson red as he looked at Bilbo’s back and wondered what he would look like without any clothes. _A foolish thought_ , he said to himself quietly, before attending back to the task at hand. Unbeknownst to him, the innocent hobbit thought the same.  
  
“There. You’re all cleaned up” Thorin hummed in Bilbo’s ear softly. The burglar paused for a moment, wondering why the dwarf hadn’t gone up and left Bilbo to bathe properly. Thorin paused for a moment, taking in the sight in front of him briefly, before pushing himself up and walking away with the cloth that was tainted red. The hobbit shyly looked over his shoulder, watching the brooding king pace away, seeming almost reluctant.  
  
“Please don’t go..” Bilbo whispered to himself, part of him hoping that Thorin would hear him and come back. However, the dwarf was far out of earshot and continued walking. The night went quickly, and what the next few days would bring was unknown.  
  
…  
  
But what was known, however, was that both Bilbo and Thorin had a restless night. And when they had finally drifted off to sleep, they both dreamt silently of each other.  
  
~x~


	7. Foolish Business

**~APRIL FOOLS~**  
  
Happy April Fools, everyone! :)  
  
Sorry about the delay of chapters, but I'll be getting the next one up today or tomorrow. Have patience with me  <3  
Thanks to all of you for tuning in with me on this adventure! Can't wait to see how it turns out ^-^


	8. Misty Mountains Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT -   
> I'm having to change a few things in this chapter because for the sake of it being a bit more original. This chapter drags along a bit, because it has some important things that kinda matter for later on in the story (Bilbo finding the ring). I'm not super 100% happy with the chapter because it seems a bit boring and kind of rushed at the end ;-; The next chapter will probably still be a bit draggy, but I promise in the next NEXT chapter, things will be back up to speed :3 - IMPORTANT -
> 
> Summary: As The Company leaves the warmth of Rivendell without Gandalf the Grey, who has other matters to attend to, they start on their way across The Misty Mountains. However, they are surprised with rather unwelcome visitors.

“Come on, Bilbo. Raise yer’ elbow! Concentrate on your target” Fili shouted from a way in front of the hobbit, a playful grin plastered on his face. It was late in the evening, the sun long set behind the mountains. They had been practicing all morning and all afternoon, and already Bilbo felt his muscles aching from the heavy sword. Although, he pressed on. With a slurred groan, the hobbit ran towards the younger dwarf, his sword raised over his right shoulder.   
  
They collided with a _clang._ Fili pressed hard against Bilbo’s sword and attempted to swing a leg under, meaning to trip the burglar. However, it wasn’t the first time that the golden-haired prince had used that move, and Mr.Baggins tended to learn easily. The hobbit jumped over the leg that Fili swung and used the opportunity, to take him back and catch his heel with his foot. Bilbo pulled back, making the dwarf fall flat on his back, the sword practically jumping out of his hand when he landed with a thump.   
  
Bilbo Baggins grinned down at the prince with triumph, raising his sword to his chin.  
  
“You’re gettin’ better” Fili laughed, before grabbing the arm that Bilbo had offered and heaved himself up. The two laughed for a while, the prince patting Bilbo on the back, a sense of pride in his face. Mr.Baggins rather enjoyed Fili’s company, as he was quite a delight to be around. He wasn’t rude (at most times), but was playful enough to have the hobbit smiling. As the two grabbed their things and made their way to the dining table, Bilbo broke the silence.  
  
“Tell me about your uncle” The burglar said suddenly as he re-did the buttons on his coat, dusting the dirt that had been collected off his shoulders. Fili looked at him in surprise, searching his mind for the correct words.  
  
“There’s not much to tell except that he means a great deal to Kili and I” Fili said, his voice now stern and serious. Bilbo dismissed it and closed his mouth, not wanting to dig into his past if he didn’t want to. But, to his surprise, the dwarf carried on.  
  
“You see, we never really had a father. So, our other uncle, Frerin was sort of our fatherly figure. He was amazing, from what I can recall. Brave, strong and kind-hearted. It wasn’t until..” Fili stopped in his tracks here, something caught up in his throat. Bilbo was about to say that he needn’t carry on, but he continued anyways.   
  
“It wasn’t until he died that things started to change. Our mother.. she was heartbroken. Kili hardly remembers him. You could see in Thorin’s eyes that part of him had gone missing, like he was in pieces. Anyways, Thorin became a father of some sort, and we grew up with him. He’s worked very hard, you know. He hardly complains and only wishes to see his kin happy, dismissing himself. Thorin deserves happiness, but I think he has trouble finding it, personally.” Fili nodded to himself, before walking once more, with Bilbo trailing behind him. The hobbit felt a great amount of sorrow for the dwarves, as loss was a very painful thing to go through.   
  
“But I have hope that he’ll find it once again” With this, the golden-haired prince looked down at the hobbit with a hopeful smile, which made Bilbo look at him with curious thoughts in his head, before quickening the pace, his stomach calling for food.  
  
~x~  
  
“These runes were written on a Midsummer’s Eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly two hundred years ago. It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell. Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield; the same moon shines upon us tonight” Elrond said simply with a small smile, nodding down at the dwarf before changing his gaze to the moon above them.  
  
They now stood outside; behind a waterfall that fell down one of the mountain-sides surrounding the elven kingdom. There was a round table at the end of the flat surface which they could stand on, which was set right in front of Elrond. He placed the map on the surface, holding it down by the curved-ends and paused for a moment, waiting for the moon to take affect. Gandalf had said just moments ago that these were moon runes and that they were to only be read in the light of the moon in the same shape and season on the day it was written, which just so happened to be today.  
  
“Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin’s Day will shine upon the keyhole” Elrond traced his fingers over the markings that appeared when the light of the moon beamed down on the map, revealing letters in an ancient language that Elrond could read; but they could not.  
  
“We still have time.” Balin nodded, fumbling his hands together before looking at Thorin with a knowing look.

“Time? Time for what?” Bilbo asked quickly, raising a brow in curiosity. 

“To find the entrance. We have to be standing at exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. Then, the door is to be opened” The older dwarf answered with a flick of his head in Bilbo’s direction, pushing his bushy eyebrows together.

“So this is your quest. To enter the Mountain.” Elrond had caught what Balin had said, and turned on his heel, looking down on Thorin. You could tell in his eyes that he did not seem it to be a very good idea.  
  
Thorin looked up at the elf and frowned. “What of it?”

“There are some who would not deem it wise.”  
  
~x~  
  
The wind blew fiercely through the mountains, whipping hair past Bilbo’s face, flicking against his soft skin with a sting. Rain thundered down on the group heavily, with lightning crashing in the sky with bright bursts of light. The rain had been bearing down on them for hours, causing their clothes to stick to their skin and add extra weight as they stumbled across the rough terrain, which was slippery and unstable. The wind brought the cold with it. It was so cold that Bilbo could not stop his teeth from chattering against each other, his fingers beginning to ache from the freezing temperatures. Of course, this was not the circumstance for everyone.  
  
Gandalf had given them time to leave the elf kingdom and Bilbo had gone with the dwarves, no matter how much his head told him to stay. If the wizard was to join them later on in their journey, then so be it. They traveled one-by-one in a line on one of the mountain sides, Thorin leading the way, Bilbo a few dwarves behind him. The moon was far up in the sky. Although, Bilbo could not exactly tell where it was, for the dark clouds covered the light easily. Kili yelled something in the air in front of him, but the loud sound of rain crashing on rock drowned out his voice.  
  
“What?!” Thorin yelled, stopping in his place and turning around to look at Kili with a confused expression. The young dwarf clenched his jaw before repeating himself.  
  
“Shouldn’t we find shelter? There must be a cave nearby!” His voice sounded muffled, slow and very anxious.  
  
“That is what we are doing!” Dwalin answered this time in his regular gruff voice. He stood behind Thorin, his weapon in hand and his dark eyebrows pushed together in a frown. Lightning shook the sky, and the tough dwarf seemed to try his best not to look intimated, but Bilbo easily caught him wince. They traveled in a quicker pace, turning sharply around edges that would’ve led one to fall to their death. The ground was miles below them, and Mr.Baggins couldn’t help his stomach but to feel nauseous at the dreadful sight.   
  
Seconds began to feel like minutes, minutes feel like hours and hours feel like days. Soon enough, no one was saying a word. It was quite impossible to, anyways, with the thunder booming in the sky, the clouds flashing white when lightning struck and the occasional moments his heart would stop when he would misplace a foot or slip. However, soon enough the lightning and thunder seemed to be absent from this storm, with the rain still pounding down on them. Bilbo Baggins thought to himself that the storm was subsiding, turning into a mere shower as compared to a storm. He thought wrong.  
  
Lightning suddenly flashed, it’s sound deafening as it struck meters above them, taking them all by surprise. The sound stung Bilbo’s ears, causing them to ring as he winced at the sharp pain. It was peculiar, for the hobbit didn’t know sounds that could hurt. The loud noise was followed by a series of crumbling sounds, like rocks falling. In fact, it was exactly that.   
  
He heard his name being called by the dwarves and he looked up to see a great chunk of rock tumbling down over him, only steps away from landing on him. Bilbo felt a rough hand tug at his arm, pulling him to the left. The rock smashed into the trail that they were on before falling to the land below them, taking with it a wide part of the path. A large gap lay between one group of dwarves and the other, and they quickly checked each other to see if they were safe.  
  
“Where’s Bilbo?” Bofur cried in alert, as he was the one who had grabbed the hobbit and had noticed that he was not present with them. The dwarves fell silent as they looked around them with wide eyes, fear striking through their hearts at the thought of loosing the hobbit so early.  
  
“Where’s the burglar?!” Thorin yelled angrily, his heart thumping against his chest, feeling as if it were to burst out. The dwarf king had not seen the hobbit jump on his side, even when Bofur managed to grab his arm, and this notion caused him to panic. If anything were to happen for him.. No. He had a responsibility and wouldn’t let some hobbit change the fate of this quest.   
  
“There!” Dori said sharply, pointing down to the ledge. Bofur scattered to the edge and leaned over to see non other than Bilbo Baggins, holding on for his life on the edge of the mountain-side. His face was dreadfully pale and was stunned at the thought of what lay below him. Thousands of feet below him.  
  
“Drag him up!”  
  
“Go on! What are you waiting for? Grab the fellow!”  
  
“I can’t reach ‘em!”  
  
“Of course _you_ can’t! Let me try!”  
  
“You’ll fall off, you fool!”  
  
“Why, you-“  
  
Thorin groaned to himself before shuffling down the steep cliff-face, swinging himself over to Bilbo’s side. With a huff, the Dwarf boasted him up, pushing Bilbo by his backside so that the other dwarves could grab him. He was shaking like a leaf, from what the dwarf king could tell, and he felt a part of him grow angry. Yes, he was angry.   
  
After heaving himself back up, with the help of Dwalin and Nori, Thorin turned to Bilbo who sat slouched against the back of the trail.  
  
“I thought we’d lost our burglar” Dwalin said with a shudder, dusting the bits of crushed rock off his shoulders and pants, before looking down at the hobbit with a stern expression. Bilbo looked up at Thorin expectedly, hoping that he would say something that would relate in some way to sympathy.   
  
“He has been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come. He has no place amongst us” Thorin spat those words like they were poison, and they stung just the same.   
  
It’s funny, for he never thought that words could hurt just as much as getting an injury. Perhaps, they weren’t so different a thing from another. The hobbit’s heart sank, his brain clouded with negative thoughts as he played what Thorin had just said to him over and over in his mind, trying to make sense of it all. Bilbo coughed softly, his breathing had un-intentionally quickened, his heart racing. Bilbo slowly looked up at Thorin, his eyes filled with nothing but disappointment and sadness. Thorin’s eyes held the same, and the dwarf slowly looked away, turning on his heel, facing away from the hobbit whom thought Thorin could love him.  
  
Maybe.  
  
~x~  
  
Bilbo awoke sharply, his heart racing as his mind remembered all of what happened not long ago. Right after Bilbo’s mishap, The Company seemed to be lucky enough to find a cave in the mountainside. It was empty and seemed safe, for it was quiet and brought shelter. It hadn’t been long before the floor below them had opened up.   
  
Before they knew it, they were in the sharp, skinny and shaky claws of the goblins. Where they exactly were, Bilbo could not tell. He had never heard of such a huge place as this, for many networks of tunnels twirled in and out throughout the mountain, heavily populated by the goblins. They squawked and squealed in his ears, shoving the dwarfs forward, seeming to completely ignore his presence. Thank goodness that he was a hobbit, for he had ducked underneath the legs of the goblins without a problem. And they didn’t seem to notice until a goblin attacked him by surprise and sent them both tumbling down, bumping against the walls of the cavern until it knocked them both unconscious.   
  
Something had woken Bilbo. And whatever it was, he felt in his heart that it was nothing good. Suddenly, he heard a noise across from him, behind the goblin that lay on the ground, still from the fall. Something lurked in the shadows, it’s big, wide eyes flickering towards him. There was almost a hiss-like sound coming from these eyes, along with slurred whispers that Bilbo could not pick up. As it grew closer, the hobbit gasped quickly before crawling into a clump of large mushrooms that sprouted from the rotten ground with an old stench. The pair of eyes travelled even closer, until the light hit it’s skin and the hobbit got a good view of what it was.  
  
Well, he didn’t exactly know what it was. It took some sort of form of a goblin, nothing but skin and bones. Except, this one was smaller. Much smaller. It’s eyes were huge and two ears protruded on either side of it’s head. It had a grey piece of cloth wrapped around it’s waist, flapping about as it moved, hardly covering what was underneath. Long hair stranded from the top of it’s head, very close to no hair at all.   
  
It growled and clawed at the ground, staring at the goblin before licking it’s lips greedily. It said something and then answered himself back as if he were having a conversation, and wrapped a bony hand around the ankle of the dead goblin. It huffed and puffed as it dragged it along the floor, but it seemed to manage fine. The creature crawled up a bit of the narrow wall surrounding them, the bottom of it being too narrow for the goblin to fit through.  
  
It suddenly slipped and yelled as it fell against the ground on the other side, being crushed by the extra body that it carried along with it, before running off with his dinner in hand.  
  
When all seemed quiet, Bilbo popped his head out from the mushrooms and looked around, on his guard as to what else may be lurking in the darkness. With a nod, he walked forward to where the opening that led to another tunnel lay. Before he jumped into the next tunnel, however, something caught his eye. Well, he couldn’t really see it. But he felt it. Felt something tugging at his mind, telling him to look down. Something whispered within him, speaking to him in words that he could not understand. And yet, he understood completely. Without thinking he reached down and grabbed what was calling him; a golden ring. It seemed to be nothing special. It was smooth and made of pure gold, it’s edges rounded to perfection.  
  
“A nice gift to give away for a birthday, perhaps” He thought with a small laugh, even though part of him felt dark and dangerous.  
  
With a nervous smile, he jumped over the gap and walked through the path. It didn’t take long until he found himself to be lost. Every corner he took seemed to lead him right back to where he started. There was an intersection on the walls of each tunnel, leading into more and more tunnels. It seemed endless to him and no light seemed to come from anywhere. The halls were dark and the floor was damp.   
  
The same sort of hissing and talking came from the tunnel to the left of him, and the sound echoed throughout the hallways loudly, ringing through his ears. He reached for his weapon that was strapped around his waist and pulled out the sword quickly, nervously wrapping both hands around the handle. It didn’t take long for his eyes to once again meet those of the creature.   
  
Mr.Baggins came to a wide, tall cavern. The ceiling stood high above the floor, which was almost all submerged in murky water that Bilbo would not dare touch. In the middle of this cavern was a large rock that stood out from the water. On top of this rock was Gollum, the creature that Mr. Bilbo Baggins saw only moments before. His mouth was stuffed with goblin meet, even though he soon grew to despise it, for it was all he had eaten in years. How many years? It was hard to tell. His skin seemed to stick to his bones like glue, his mouth set dipped down, his mind filled with evil thoughts.  
  
As Bilbo approached this Gollum creature, he winced as a small pebble was knocked from it’s silent place from his foot and tumbled down into the water with a small splash.   
  
Gollum suddenly stopped talking and growling and sat upright, his large eyes fixed on where he had heard the noise come from. All was silent, and the hobbit nervously jumped behind a rock that jutted out from the slippery, moss-covered ground.   
  
His heart raced once he looked from over the side of the rock, to see nothing on the large rock-thing that stood out in the middle of the water, except for the dead goblin that was flopped on it’s back. Suddenly, he felt the air change. Something about the air where he stood seemed to grow thicker, a putrid smell awakening his senses to disgust.  
  
…  
  
Bilbo heard the growling above him, and he slowly looked up, only to be staring right at the giant eyes of Gollum.  
  
~x~


	9. A Game of Riddles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, I took a small break from FFADK but now I’m back with chapter 8 :DD This chapter is kind of boring because I just basically go over the whole Gollum, Ring thing. But, at the end, there’s a small bagginshield moment <3 I hope you enjoy!

Bilbo swung his sword from his side quickly as the creature dropped down from the rock above him, both hands gripping tightly on the handle so that his knuckles turned white.   
  
“Aargh! Gollum! Gollum!” It shrieked, showing few sharp teeth that were chipped and dirty.  
  
“Stay.. stay back!” Bilbo spoke, his voice shaking as he glared down at Gollum. “I’m warning yo-u, don’t come any closer” Walking toward the skinny creature of Gollum, Bilbo raised his sword so that it lay just a few inches away from his neck. Gollum hissed something in quickly, turning around, talking to himself. The burglar raised an eyebrow as he watched it.  
  
“My name” Bilbo cleared his dry throat before continuing. “-is Bilbo Baggins” With this, Gollum spun around and looked at him with a curious expression.  
  
“Bagginses?” He questioned, blinking up at him with big eyes. “What is a Bagginses, Precious?”   
  
“I’m a Hobbit from the Shire” Bilbo explained all to quickly, feeling the muscles in his arms ache from holding his sword up for longer than he had before.   
  
“Oh! We like fishes and Goblinses, but we hasn’t tried Hobbitses before” Gollum’s expression suddenly turned dark and a mischievous grin grew apon his face, wide enough to almost reach the corners of his slim face. _“Is it juicy?”_ The creature snarled at Bilbo walking forward, it’s teeth bared.  
  
“Now! Now, k-keep your distance! I’ll u-use this if I have to!” The hobbit said suddenly, raising his voice before swinging his sword in front of him, warning the creature that he will defend himself if necessary. It snarled once more, before sitting up in a similar position that cats sat in, except his knees bent in front of him and he looked far from similar to a cat.

“I do not want any trouble. Just show me the way to get out and I’ll be on my way” He said breathlessly, lowering his sword so that the tip hit the moss-covered ground with a clank.

_“Why?”_ Gollum snapped at him, crawling off to climb on top of a short rock that stood in front of him. _“Is it lost?”_

“Y-yes. Yes! And I want to get unlost as soon as possible”  
  
Suddenly, Gollum’s voice changed. It’s tone was higher-happier than before. It smiled again, except this time, he didn’t look as dangerous as he did before. “Ooh! We knows safe parts for Hobbitses! Safe paths is in the dark!” What Bilbo Baggins didn’t know (yet) was that this creature had two bodies within him. Smeagol, who just spoke now, had found a ring that possessed his mind beyond great measure. Within him, a darkness grew. A darkness that was known as The Gollum, whom spoke with much evil. How Smeagol came to find the ring was another story for another day. _“Shut up!”_ Gollum spat once more, turning his back on Bilbo.  
  
“I didn’t say anything.” The hobbit said with a questioning look, his eyebrows furrowed together with confusion.  
  
_“I wasn’t talking to you”_ Gollum said rudely, turning to look at Bilbo before looking away. “But yes, we was, Precious” The creature said lowly. This is when the hobbit got extremely confused, but knew that this beast was definitely up to something.  
  
“Look, uh, I don’t know what your game is-“  
  
“Games?! Oh, we love games! Doesn’t we precious? Does it like games? Does it? Does it like to play?” It spun around, with an excited expression on his face, his big eyes gleaming as it crawled towards Bilbo and jumped off the rock and landed onto the ground with a soft thud.  
  
“Uh, maybe?” Bilbo asked, shaking his head. Gollum raised his hands above his head as an idea for a riddle popped into his mind.  
  
“What has roots as nobody sees, is taller than trees! Up, up, up it goes, and it never grows!” It finished with another proud smile as he thought that he truly got Bilbo stuck. The hobbit paused for a moment, reading over the riddle in his mind, before answering.  
  
“The mountain..”   
  
“Oh, yess, yes! Ohhh, lets have another one! hm? Come on, do it again! Ask us!” Gollum beamed up at the hobbit for a moment, before his eyes turned dark once more and he furrowed his hairless-eyebrows together. _“No! No more riddles. Finish him off now! Gollum! Gollum!”_ It snarls, lashing out at the hobbit before Bilbo quickly raised his sword under it’s chin, pressing against its’ neck sharply.  
  
“No, no! I want to play. I do. I wa-want to play. I can see that you’re… very good at this. So, why d-don’t we have a game of riddles? Yes, yes- just you and me” Bilbo Baggins said in a whisper, crouching down slightly so that he could get closer to Gollum’s height with a nervous smile on his face. The creatures’ face turns excited and he scatters closer to Bilbo, nodding with a smile that a little hobbit would have before he got some sweets. “Yes! Yes, just, just us!”  
  
“Yes! And if I-I win, you show me the way out.”  
  
“Yes-“ Gollum turns around, his expression sour once again, his back facing Bilbo. _“And if it loses? What-what then?”_   
  
“Well, if it loses, Precious, then we will eats it!” Gollum laughs before turning back to Mr.Baggins.  
  
“If Baggins loses, we eats it whole” It shrugs with a fair smile, his blue eyes blinking up at Bilbo with a certain sense of innocence. All is quiet for a moment as Bilbo digests this new information that is given to him by this.. Gollum. He pauses for a moment, before speaking. “Fair enough”. He rises and puts his sword away, with Gollum watching him interestedly.   
  
“Well, go on! Baggins first!”  
  
Bilbo thinks of a riddle, turning on his heel quickly, before facing back to Gollum to see that he has his chin resting on his hands on the edge of a rock.  
  
“Thirty white horses on a red hill” Bilbo raises a finger, looking down at Gollum. “First they champ, then they stamp, then they stand still.” He flicks his hands around for effect until he finishes it, keeping his hands in place in the air. Gollum thinks, opening his mouth and eyes widely as if he had figured out the answer before shaking his head to himself and changing his mind. This went on for a few moments, before he finally replied with a question.  
  
“Teeth?”  
  
Bilbo frowns and nods solemnly. Gollum suddenly becomes ecstatic and laughs manically. “Teeth! Yes, yes! But we- we only have nine” He opened his mouth once more, showing off his teeth clearly, even the back ones that were smaller but still pointed and sharp. Mr.Baggins wrinkled his nose in disgust before looking up at the ceiling, hoping that this moment would go by quicker.   
  
_“Our turn… Voiceless it cries, wingless flutters, toothless bites, mouthless mutters.”_  
  
Bilbo paused, before walking off as he thought the riddle over.   
  
“Oh! We knows, we knows, Precious!”  
  
_“Shut up”  
  
_ Mr.Baggins raised a hand to his lip, biting down on his finger as he wandered over to a part of the rocky surface where it dipped into the lake that was most of the cave’s floor. He looked down at it, noticing the soft ripples of the air blowing across it’s surface, shaking his reflection. And with this, he smiled and turned on his heel to face Gollum.  
  
“It’s wind! Of course it is” He huffed with a smile, rubbing his hands together. Gollum snarled with frustration, slinking towards Bilbo with a aggressive frown. _“Very clever, Hobbitses, very clever!”_ He hissed again and started to run at the hobbit, his eyes dark with anger.  
  
“Ah! ah-a box without hinges, key, o-or lid; yet golden treasure inside i-i-is hid.” This made Gollum stop in his place, glaring up at Bilbo with a subtle rage. Then he looks down at the ground, searching his mind for the answer.  
  
“ _A box…. a lid.. and then a key… Argghh!_ ” Gollum snaps, scattering around on the floor, swinging his arms about as he thought hard about the answer, talking to himself as he moved.  
  
“Well?”  
  
_“It’s nasty. Uh, box….”_  
  
“Give up?”  
  
“Give us a chance, Precious, give us a chance!”   
  
In frustration, Gollum curled his skinny hands into fists and began pounding on the ground, making a thud that echoed throughout the cave and went on for a good many moments before it died out. With a cry, he sat down suddenly on the cold floor, scratching the rock with his sharp, over-grown nails. All was silent for a moment, and Bilbo was sure that he had caught him with his riddle and was for sure to be getting out before Gollum laughed.  
  
“Eggses! Eggses! Eggses! Oh, what crunchy little eggses, yes!” Gollum laughs but suddenly stops at the squeaking of a far away bat. Bilbo turned his head toward the sound in alert, squinting his eyes to see a small black shape fluttering above the surface of the water before flying up to the cieling. When he turned back around to face Gollum, however, the creature was no where in sight.  
  
“Ahh, we have one for you” It’s voice spoke out, hushed, almost in a whisper as it came from all around Bilbo. He reached for his sword and rested his hand on the handle, prepared to defend himself if necessary. _“All things it devours. Birds, beasts, trees, flowers. Gnaws on iron, bites steel, grinds hard stones to meal”_ The voice became even softer as it continued speaking, almost sounding like a snake that was about to pounce on a mouse.  
  
_“Answer us!”_ Gollum shouted, making Bilbo jump with the sudden sternness of his voice. With this, he gripped on his sword and swung it out from his side, holding it with two hands in front of him.   
  
“Give me a m-moment, please! I gave you a long while!”  
  
“Uh.. hm… steel.. iron…” He mumbles to himself whilst looking around him to search for where the voice was coming from. Bilbo sighed in clear frustration, desperately thinking for the answer. “I don’t know this one”  
  
_“Is it tasty? Is it scrumptious?”_ Bilbo hit his back on a rough boulder behind him and turned around, suddenly seeing Gollum appear on the top, lashing out his claws for the hobbit. _“Is it crunchable?”_ The burglar raised his sword under Gollum’s chin, his heart feeling as if it were to burst out of his chest at any given moment.  
  
“Let me think. L-l-let me think”  
  
_“It’s stuck. Bagginses is stuck”_  
  
The hobbit paces back and forth near the spot where he had answered the last riddle, staring at the water as he thought. A few seconds passed before Gollum spoke once more, with a greedy smile.  
  
“Time’s up”  
  
“Time. The answer is time!” Bilbo grins and turns around to face Gollum, only to see him ready to leap onto Bilbo with his teeth bared. “It actually wasn’t that hard” He sniffed with a casual shrug, clearing his throat as he did so. The creature snarled and hissed as he answered, thumping his hands once more on the rock.   
  
_“Last question. Last chance”_ He snapped, raising up a bony finger to Bilbo with a deadly stare. From behind his back, he used his other skinny hand to clutch a rock, prepared to attack the hobbit at any moment.  
  
“Uh..”  
  
“Ask us!!”   
  
“Yes! Yes, yes alright!”  
  
Bilbo turned around once more, looking down at the rippling surface of the dark water that seemed deeper than the cave itself. “What have I got.. in my pocket?” He muffled softly, resting a hand on the pocket that was sewn into his coat. Gollum wrinkles his nose and looks at him in anger.  
  
“Wh- Well, that’s not fair! Not far! It’s against the rules!” As he spoke, Gollum raised the rock that he was holding in his claw and swung it down on the ground with a loud thump. Bilbo raises his eyebrows and smiles in surprise, pointing at the rock that he just threw.  
  
_“Ask us another one!”_  
  
“No! No, you said “Ask me a question”. Well, yes, that happens to be my question. What have I got in my pocket?   
  
Gollum snarls once more and leaps down from the rock that he was perched on and waddled over to Bilbo, who walked behind a rock to separate the two by a good distance. _“Three guesses. It must give us three!”_ It snapped, raising three fingers to signify.  
  
“All right then! Guess away”  
  
“Handses!” Bilbo raises his hands into the air next to his head, smiling with triumph. “Wrong”  
  
The creature groans and slaps the floor again as his anger and ferocity increased. “Fish-bones, goblins’ teeth, bat’s wings…” He twirls around in his place, before looking up at Bilbo. “Knife!”  
  
“ _Oh, shut up!”  
  
_ “Wrong, again” He grins breathlessly, keeping a firm grip on his sword. “Last guess”  
  
“String! _Or nothing”  
  
_ “Two guesses at once! Wrong both times”  
  
Gollum stands still in his place, his lips quivering, his eyes widened with sorrow. He yells in defeat and falls to the floor, his chest shaking as he sobs. Bilbo sighs in relief and walks a little closer to Gollum, pressing his sword to his cheek.  
  
“I won the game. You promised to show me the way out”  
  
“Did we say so, Precious?” It talks to himself, his bony chest heaving for air as it calmed down. _“What has it got in it’s pocketses? “_  
  
“That’s non of your concern. You lost” Bilbo nodded down at him, emphasising on the word “lost” to prove a point.   
  
Gollum got up and glared up at the hobbit with an evil smile. He slowly approached Bilbo, his eyes darker then they were before, filled with determination and hunger. _“Lost… lost?”_ He reached for something in the cloth material that hung around his waist and stopped in his tracks when he pulled out nothing. “Wh..” He huffed, quickly groping around him, trying to find it.  
  
“ _W-w-where is it?! No! Ahh! Where is it? No!!!”_ It shouted and shrieked when he struggled to find it on himself and scuttled around the cave, searching under rocks and above boulders and in the tiniest cracks. “No!” He screamed as he runs over to the edge of the lake, splashing around the shallower parts to find the Ring. “Lost! My precious is lost!” Bilbo bit down on his cheek, realising what Gollum was referring to and slipping the Ring from his pocket and into his hand behind his pack.  
  
“What h-have you lost?”  
  
“Mustn’t ask us! No! _Gollum, Gollum”_ It wheezed as he tried to stop his sobbing and screaming, before he looked down into the dark, murky water.  
  
_“What.. has it got.. in it’s nasty, little, pocketses?”_ He whispered turning around to look up at the hobbit, his face contorted in anger and fury.   
  
_“He.. he stole it. He stole it!”_ As Gollums’ voice rose, Bilbo took a few steps back, his sword raised as he tried to make as much distance between him and Gollum as he could without making the creature chase after him. _“GAHH! HE STOLE IT!”_ Gollum roared and threw a stone at Bilbo, aiming for his head. The hobbit yelped and ran off before it hit him, colliding with the cave-wall behind him.  Bilbo Baggins ran quickly, with Gollum hot on his tail, slipping through cracks and turning into winding-tunnels that seemed to lead into more and more tunnels. Oh, it was endless! 

 

Bilbo hurried through the cave, keeping up his pace as he heard Gollum in the distance behind him yelling. Bilbo stopped in his place in a tunnel-like-cave as he saw Gollum running past the entrance of the cave. In fear, the hobbit ran farther and spotted a narrow crack in the wall of the cave that could give him his escape. As Bilbo tried to push himself through the crack, his buttons creaked as they stop him from getting past.   
  
Gollum backtracked and turned around to look at Bilbo, attracted by the noise that Bilbo was making. He snarled and lunged toward him. The hobbit exhaled and pushed as hard as he could, making his buttons snap off and roll down onto the floor. Gollum yelled in fury and tried to push himself through the crack.  
  
Before the creature managed to reach Bilbo, however, the hobbit quickly slipped the Ring onto his finger. Suddenly, his surroundings changed. The colors around him dimmed and everything almost had no color at all. Bilbo heard soft whispers and the cave around him waved and blurred as he looked around, hearing nothing but the muffled yelling of Gollum and his own breath. Gollum jumped through the crack and landed just in front of Bilbo, shrieking as the hobbit is nowhere in sight.  
  
“Thief! Baggins!” He yelled before scattering off down another tunnel of the cave, leaving Bilbo standing up breathlessly.  
  
Bilbo ran after Gollum, his sword raised as he pushed through the narrow tunnels of the cave and appeared behind the creature who was around the corner from a tunnel that led to daylight, his sword raised above his neck. Before he swung, however, Gollum yelped and slunk behind a rock at the sound of footsteps. Gandalf appeared from the tunnel and stopped, pushing the dwarves in front of him to go.   
  
Bilbo counted each one and his heart seemed to stop when he only counted twelve, Thorin missing from the group. Gandalf nodded and ran after them, before Thorin himself quickly followed after. The hobbit sighed in relief, wanting nothing more than to be by the dwarf kings’ side.   
  
Bilbo looked back down again at Gollum and raised the sword to his chin, prepared to kill him. However, something stopped Mr.Baggins, hesitating upon seeing sadness take over Gollum’s face, looking almost human. Bilbo slowly lowered his sword, pitying the sight in front of him, nodding to himself. He bit on his cheek, walking back a few paces before running towards Gollum and jumping over him. Before Bilbo could get away, Gollum frowned and snarled, waving his hands in the air as he heard Bilbo’s footsteps. The hobbit kicked his hands and quickly scattered out of the cave, breathing quickly as he ran towards daylight, hearing the distant yells of Gollum behind him.   
  
“Thief! Curse it, we hates it forever!”  
  
~x~  
  
Bilbo gasped in relief as the bright sunlight hit his skin, relishing the familiar warmth that surrounded him. He smiled widely as he breathed in the clean air, trying to block the putrid stench of the goblin caves out of his mind, before running after the dwarves. The Company stood around each other, their chests heaving for breath as they calmed down. Most had cuts, scrapes, dirt, blood and bruises on their skin, indicating that some sort of fight must’ve happened. Well, it must’ve, or else they wouldn’t be standing there at all.  
  
“Eight, nine, ten, Fili, Kili… twelve, and Thorin, that makes thirteen” The grey wizard spoke out, his voice hoarse from the dense air of the caves. His beard was dark with dust and dirt, and his cloak was damp at the bottom from being dragged along the filthy floor. Suddenly, the tall wizard looked around in alert. “Where’s Bilbo? Where is our hobbit?!” He yelped, causing the other dwarves to frantically look around them. Bilbo looked towards Thorin and saw a gleam of regret and frustration in his eyes.   
  
“Curse the halfling!”   
  
“I thought he was with Dori!”  
  
“Don’t blame me! I saw Nori with him!”  
  
“I think I saw him slip away! Before they first caught us!”  
  
“What happened exactly? Tell me!” Gandalf bellowed down at the dwarf, his voice shaky with fear. Bilbo was just about to take the ring off when Thorin spoke.  
  
“I will tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance to escape and he took it! He has thought of nothing but his warm hearth and soft bed ever since he first stepped out of his door! We will not be seeing our hobbit again” Thorin furrowed his eyebrows together, his voice stern and rough. Although, Bilbo could’ve sworn he heard a hint of sorrow in his voice. “He is long gone” Yes, they were just words. But they hurt far greater than any sword.  
  
“No” Bilbo spoke out from the awkward silence amongst them, slipping the ring off his finger and walking around from the tree, his eyes fixed on Thorins’. “He isn’t”  
  
“Bilbo Baggins! I’ve never been this glad as I am now to see anyone in my life” The old wizard sighed in relief, smiling a wild smile that made the wrinkles around his eyes grow deeper.  
  
“Bilbo!” Kili pipped up with a wide smile, running up to the hobbit and ruffling the top of his head with a large, gloved hand. “We’d given up on you!”  
  
“How on earth did you get past the Goblins?!” Fili cocked his head to the side as he walked to the other side of Bilbo, patting his shoulder, a brow raised in curiosity.   
  
“Well, what does it matter? He’s back!”  
  
“It matters. I want to know, why _did_ you come back?” Thorin spoke out this time, taking a step forward towards the hobbit.   
  
The two nephews backed away from Bilbo’s sighed instantly as their uncle stepped closer. The burglar looked into Thorin’s eyes, silently wishing to feel his skin on his soon enough once more. Thorin blinked a few times, his stern gaze faltering as he noticed that Bilbo took a small step back when he approached him, before the young hobbit spoke before Thorin could.  
  
“Look, I know you doubt me. I know you always have” He began, pushing his shoulders back as he tried to look tougher than he actually was. “And you’re right! I often think of Bag End. I miss my books. And my armchair; my garden. See, that’s where I belong” He nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips as his gaze never moved off of Thorins’ face. “And that’s why I came back, because you don’t have one. A home. It was taken from you.”   
  
With this, the dwarf kings’ lips parted and his eyes widened slightly as he realised something. Of course, Thorin had felt similar feelings earlier when Bilbo and him were alone or in close quarters. But something about this particular moment felt… deeper. As if a wound was finally healing from all these years.  
  
Perhaps it was something… _more_. Perhaps it was the realisation of what Bilbo truly meant to him and what he truly meant to Bilbo. Perhaps he had been foolish all this time.   
  
And maybe, just maybe… Thorin began to fall in love.  
  
…  
  
“But I will help you take it back if I can.”  
  
~x~


	10. Out of The Frying Pan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BILBO YOU ARE SO, SO WRONG, DEAR. ANYWAYS, HERES CHAPTER 9 WITH BAGGINSHIELD FLUFF AT THE END, SO YAY. (EXCUSE THIS. IT WAS BADLY WRITTEN BECAUSE I WAS IN A RUSH TO GET IT FINISHED. I PROMISE THAT NEXT TIME IT WILL BE BETTER)

Bilbo smiled deeply, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he beamed up at Thorin, who looked back down at him. The hobbit could’ve sworn that he spotted the faintest smile play apon his lips, and Mr.Baggins wanted nothing more at that very moment, but a kiss from the dwarf that he so desired. However, before either person could say a word, a howl pierced into the crisp, cool air. Before long,  another howl followed. This sent shivers to run down Bilbo’s spine as his mind flashed back to the teeth that pierced into his torso. He winced, feeling over his wounds that were still in the process of healing. Distressed, Bilbo looked back up to Thorin with a terrified expression.  
  
“Out of the frying pan…” The king whispered as he switched his gaze from Bilbo to Gandalf.  
  
“…and into the fire. Run!” With the old wizards’ command, The Company burst into a sprint down the mountain side, their legs burning as they ran quicker down the slope, dodging trees and jumping over large rocks.   
  
Bilbo’s breath had become frantic and heavy as his mind spun with fear as they raced down the slope. The hobbit never realised it until he looked up, that the sun had set during his speech to Thorin. 

The moon now hung over the horizon, beaming down on them from the dark sky. He didn’t have long to concentrate, for he soon heard the heavy steps and loud growls of the wargs running after them, rapidly catching up. Bilbo’s heart almost stops in its place when he hears a deafening howl in his ears, sounding as if a Warg was only meters away. It was lucky that Bilbo ducked behind a rock when he did, for the great beast leapt over him, it’s jaws snapping in the air. The burglar jumped up and turned to face the beast, pulling out his sword and bracing himself for an attack.   
  
The Warg bared it’s teeth, showing foul, stained fangs that were dripping with saliva. It’s eyes were small and yellow, seeming to glow in the darkness. It snarled and leapt towards him, claws outstretched. It charged, before yowling in pain as its’ head got impaled by the sharp dagger that was Bilbo’s sword, before falling dead on the ground. Quickly, the hobbit pulled out his sword and turned around, expecting to meet the worried expressions of the dwarves around him. However, they were no where in sight.  
  
“Climb, Bilbo! Hurry, now!” Gandalf hollered down from above the hobbit, catching Bilbo’s attention.   
  
Aware that the wargs were only moments away from him, Mr.Baggins jumped up, wrapping his legs around the trunk of one of the great, tall trees that stood at the end of the cliff. Quickly, he grabbed Gandalfs’ hand and crouched on a lower branch, his chest shaking as the wargs snarled and ran below them, barking up at the dwarves that gathered in the many trees.   
  
Suddenly, Gandalf threw him a pinecone, which seemed to be lit with a flame. The heat burned his palms and he bounced it up in his hands, before throwing it onto the ground with a crack. Fire seemed to explode from the pinecone and spread out across the grass, sending some of the wargs to retreat back a few paces. With a laugh, the other dwarves joined in and aimed them at the orcs and wargs below them until they had backed up away from them. The trees erupted with victorious laughter, before Bilbo noticed something.   
  
With a shaking glance, Bilbo looked above him, expecting to see the dwarf king safe and sound in the tree. However, his eyes widened and his lips parted as he failed to spot the brooding king amongst them. “T-Thorin? Gandalf, where’s Thorin?!” Bilbo yelled up to the wizard, his voice shaking as he looked around at the other trees to spot the dwarf. Thorin was no where to be seen. “Uncle?!” Fili called from the neighbouring tree, frantically turning his head in search of the dwarf king.  
  
“There!” Bofur shouted, pointing towards a large boulder that jutted out from the mountain side.   
  
Slowly, Bilbo turned his head towards where Bofur was pointing, before fear drained the color from his face. A great warg, much larger than the others, stood perched on this boulder. And mountain on it, was an orc. Unlike the other orcs, it too, was larger than the others. Taller, covered in scars and with a singed lip, so that it looked as if it were forever baring its teeth.  
  
_“Nuzdigid? Nuzdi gast? [Do you smell it? The scent of fear?]”_ It snarled into the air, flaring its’ nostrils towards the dwarves, wizard and hobbit. Only to laugh with amusement before flicking a large hand towards them. At first, it was unclear as to what the orc was signalling to do. But seconds later, came another warg. It appeared slowly, nothing but soft thuds giving away its’ presence before Bilbo caught sight of what was happening. And he soon wished that he hadn’t looked over at them.

Another warg appeared from behind with a loud, piercing bark. It was larger then the rest, but still smaller than the warg that the orc was sat on top of. Except, this one carried something.  
  
“Thorin..” Bilbo whispered as his eyes met with Thorins’, who hung limply in the jaws of the beast that had appeared. His face was twisted with pain, his teeth clenched and his eyes distant. Blood streamed down from his ear, running over his nose and dripping onto the rock beneath him.  
  
“Thorin!” Fili’s distant cry made Thorin groan and writhe, trying to free himself from the monsters’ hold.

_“Sho gad adol!_ _[Drink their blood!]”_ The orc yelled, raising his spear into the air. With this the wargs growled and snapped, and leapt over the fire, running towards the trees where the dwarves were. They barked and clawed at the trunks, jumping up, snapping their jaws at the low-hanging dwarves, who cried in alert. Bilbo yelled in surprise as he felt a sudden jolt on the tree he was on. Wood creaked and cracked, and the great tree shook as the wargs below them butted against the log.  
  
“Jump, you fools! Quickly!” Gandalf ordered as the tree began to tip, making Bilbo’s heart fall into his stomach.   
  
With a shaky heart, Bilbo leapt towards the neighbouring tree, which was facing the same issue. The dwarves hopped from tree to tree until one last tree stood, which was on the edge of the large cliff face that dropped thousands of miles down. Bilbo peeked over the dwarves at the edge, his mind spinning as he watched the clouds below him pool at the cliffs’ wall. Suddenly, the last tree snapped and titled backwards, sending Bilbo flat on his chest against the thick trunk, knocking the air out of him.   
  
Quickly, the burglar wrapped his arms around the smooth bark and hung on for dear life as the tree tipped over. Knowing that he was about to fall down thousands of miles to his death, he shut his eyes and yelled. Suddenly, the tree came to a stop and he opened his eyes, surprised to see that its’ roots were caught in the ground, leaving them hanging on the edge.

The orcs laughed heavily, making the dwarves turn their attention towards them. However, breath left Bilbo as he rose up from his grip and crouched on top of the trunk as he looked. The warg that held Thorin drew its’ head back and flung the dwarf into the air, making him land on the ground with a painful thud. He groaned as he landed, raising his arms weakly to cover his wounds.  
  
_“Biriz torag khobdudol [Bring me the dwarfs’ head]”_ The orc on top of the warg spoke down to another orc standing next to him. With an evil grin, the orc nodding and dragged his axe behind him on the ground, making the rock beneath it scratch against the metal with a ringing sound. The burglar slowly reached for his sword and pulled it out of its’ sheath, holding it with both hands as he bit down on his cheek, watching the orc approach Thorin with an anticipating smile.   
  
“Bilbo, you fool! Stay down!” Gandalf whispered, reaching for Bilbo’s hand as the dwarf stood up. However, the hobbit shook free of his grasp and slowly walked towards them, his steps not making a sound.  
  
“What on earth is he doing?”  
  
“I haven’t the slightest idea!”  
  
“He must be thinking to save Uncle!”  
  
As the orc got to his destination, he swung his weapon over his head and rested it on his shoulder for a moment. With a hideous snarl, it let it go back over his shoulder and to Thorins’ neck. Before the blade could reach his skin, Bilbo yelled and ran towards him, pushing his blade through the orcs’ chest, making the beast gurgle and drop to the ground, motionless.   
  
Soon after, the dwarves that were able to get up, ran to help the hobbit. There was yelling, growling and howling of all sorts. All from dwarves, wargs and orcs that fought aggressively.   
  
Bilbo slunk over towards Thorin, crouching over his body as he examined his wounds. They were deep, and were scarily close to his heart.   
  
He also had a dangerous slash on his head, no doubt from the warg as it would’ve moved a bit to get a firm grip on Thorins’ body. The one thing that scared Bilbo the most, however, was that his breathing was slow and his skin was cold to the touch, making the hobbits’ heart shake. The burglar did not notice what was going on around him until he heard a blood-curling screech in the air. This made him turn around in alert, reaching for his sword as he prepared for something worse than orcs or wargs. Perhaps more goblins or trolls. It was, in fact, something quite different to that.  
  
Great, giant eagles flew in the sky, their feathers ruffling as the wind pushed by. There are more than a few, and they swarm around the battle, swooping down and grabbing the orcs and wargs by their bodies, flinging them off the side of the cliff. Bilbo nearly had a heart attack when he felt one grip him by his shoulders and swing him onto its’ back. The whipped his hair back, blowing hard against his face as he grabbed onto the large feathers of the birds’ back, holding on for dear life.  
  
~x~  
  
It seem to have happened all too quickly. The eagles, the cries, Thorins’ attack, everything. The eagles had lifted the dwarves from their death hours ago, and the group now flew on their backs over the land, the rising sun casting an orange glow on their surroundings. Mountains peaked up from below, rivers rushed and trees swayed in the morning wind.   
  
However, Bilbo’s gaze was set on another. Thorins’ limp body lay cradled in the claws of a great eagle that flapped in front of them, leading them to some place unknown.   
  
Bilbo bit hard down on his lip, his mind spinning as he thought what would be of him if Thorin were to leave him. No… no. Not yet. They flew for a while longer, until they were dropped off on a large carrock, which was seemingly made up of large rocks stacked on top of another. In a hurry, Gandalf hopped off and ran over to Thorin, who was placed down on the rock, lifeless. Bilbo was the last to get off and worriedly peeked over the group as they crowded around Thorins body. All was silent, except for the mutters of Gandalf before another voice was heard. And the hobbit had never felt more relieved in his life.  
  
“The halfling?” Thorins voice spoke, rough and broken.  
  
“It is alright. Bilbo is here” Gandalf nodded, heaving Thorin up. The dwarves parted and shuffled behind Thorin as he shrugged them off, his gaze turning to the hobbit. Bilbo smiled widely as their eyes met, his heart filling up with bliss as Thorin looked right back at him. Except, something was wrong. The dwarf king was not smiling at all.  
  
“You. What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed!” Thorin barked, making the smile fade from Bilbo’s face.   
  
Heartache swarmed beneath him, turning his eyes cold and broken. Thorin staggered towards the hobbit with a dangerous stare, his eyes filled with disbelief and something else. Bilbo guessed that it was disapproval. He couldn’t expect Thorin to feel anything more for him. He was a king, and Bilbo was a hobbit. Such things could never work out. Besides, how could someone like Thorin ever feel anything for someone like Bilbo?”  
  
“Did I not say that you were a burden? That you would not survive in the wild? And that you had no place amongst us?” Thorin advanced until he was face to face with Bilbo, staring sternly into his eyes. Bilbo clenched his fists at his side, blinking furiously to keep down the tears that threatened to leave his eyes. Love fled from his heart and fear took over as Thorin raised a hand.  
  
“I’ve never been so wrong, in all my life!” With this, the dwarf king rested his hand on Bilbo’s cheek and snaked an arm around his waist. Quickly, the dwarf tugged him in to a warm embrace, taking Bilbo and the rest of the company completely by surprise. The hobbit stared at the sky in disbelief as color returned to his face, making his cheeks glow a soft red. The dwarves behind them cheered and nudged one another, with Fili and Kili with knowing looks. Thorin laughed deeply against Bilbo’s frame, wrapping his arms around him tighter, leaning his head against Bilbo’s. No. Bilbo had guessed wrong, and even he felt it in the air. Something sweet was beginning, and no one, not Thorin or Bilbo, could stop it.  
  
Slowly, Thorin pulled back, his face close to Bilbos before taking a step backwards, keeping a hand on Bilbo’s shoulder.  
  
“I am sorry I doubted you” Thorin nodded, his eyes sincere and saddened by his earlier moves, and he squeezed Bilbo’s shoulder reassuringly.  
  
“No, no. It is alright. I would have doubted me too” The hobbit said with a soft smile, a laugh rising in his throat. “Im not a hero, or a warrior. Not even a burglar” He nodded his head towards Gandalf, causing the group to burst into hearty laughter. Before he continued to speak, Bilbo turned on his heel and looked in front of him. His eyes widened and his mouth gaped open as he drew in the view in front of him. And what a wondrous view it was.  
  
It was flat and green, with a lake that twinkled just near the edge of the horizon. Hills rolled up from the sides, and a great forest stood between the lake and the hills, stretching for many miles. Fields and streams were spotted here and there, but one thing caught Bilbo’s eye the most. A sharp, pointed figure popped up from the edge of the horizon. There, stood a mountain.  
  
“Is that what I think it is?” Bilbo cocked his head as he drew the attention of The Company, who walked up to join him by his side.  
  
“Erebor” Gandalf nodded with a relieved smile, glad to see that their destination was in sight.  
  
“Our home” Thorin pushed in between Fili and Bilbo to stand next to the hobbit, leaning against his shoulder.   
  
The other dwarves crowded in front of them, so that the two were in the back, but their view wasn’t blocked as the dwarves chatted in excitement about their journeys end and what they were going to do with the vast riches that they would receive.  
  
“Look! A raven!” Oin called out as the black bird flapped overhead, towards the location of Erebor.  
  
“That, my dear Oin, is a thrush” Gandalf corrected with a smile.  
  
“Are yer’ sure, Gandalf? I could’ve sworn I it was a raven!”  
  
“If eh’ says it is, then it probably is”  
  
“How am I suppose’ to know ‘bout it?!”  
  
“But we will take it as a sign” Thorin called from the group, his voice rising above the others. “A good omen” He said, smiling down at the hobbit.   
  
Slowly, without a word, Bilbo could’ve sworn he felt Thorins’ arm brush against his for a moment. And for a second, he knew it was on accident. Until the dwarfs’ hand slowly pushed against Bilbo’s, and their fingers slid between each others in a soft grip. The hobbit gazed back at him, knowing that his face must be as red as any tomato that was grown back in the shire. Softly, Mr.Baggins shuffled closer to Thorin, pushing against his shoulder, bringing his face closer.  
  
“I do believe the worse is behind us”   
  
Bilbo called out, which made The Company erupt in excited conversation. Believing no one was looking, Bilbo pushed up on his toes and rested his forehead against Thorins affectionately, the tips of their noses touching. Thorins breath was warm against his cheeks, and the thing that happened next, was one thing that would never leave the mind of Mr. Bilbo Baggins. Thorin tilted his head and grazed his lips against Bilbo’s, before they pushed closer in a soft kiss.

…  
  
Gandalf smiled down at the two, before turning his back to the mountain.  
  
~x~


	11. Stories and Prophecies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I held this chapter off for a sUPER LONG TIME. I just finished my exams, so I should be getting on tumblr and be posting chapters regularly now that I'm a freE PERSON. Anyways, this one includes fluff and some stories :DD woop! Enjoy!

The wood cracked beneath the fire, sending bright splinters into the air, before fading away into the dark sky. The air was crisp and cool, gently blowing the hair from Bilbo’s face. The hobbit blinked up at the starry sky, smiling up at them as they twinkled back down to him. He sat on a smooth boulder that stood just opposite of a still lake. The hobbit switched his gaze from the gleaming sky to the water, as he watched the small ripples as small insects glided on top of its’ surface. Behind him, the dwarves had set up camp. They had eaten a little while ago, and the burglars’ stomach still felt heavy from rich food. Now, the dwarves lay scattered about the area, some chatting on about something that happened long ago, some asleep and some exploring the area. Other than the booming voices of the dwarves, everything was relatively peaceful.   
  
Bilbo looked up again once more, before raising a finger to one star. Slowly, he began to connect them together with his finger, imagining a line after his finger. He used to love learning about the stories of the stars, usually elf tales. Mr.Baggins would’ve thought that he looked foolish more than anything, but he enjoyed the company of stories and familiar things of home. He was a hobbit, after all.  
  
“May I sit down?” Thorins voice came from behind Bilbo, making him drop his hand and whizz around to look up at the dwarf. His cheeks flushed red as his mind went back to the moment they had shared on the carrock. The feeling of his warm skin on his. The looks of love they exchanged after their embrace. It took a moment for Bilbo to realise that he was staring.  
  
“Oh, uh. Yes! Yes. Yes, of course… Thorin” Bilbo stuttered, scooting over to the right eagerly, awkwardly shuffling his feet as Thorin sat down next to him with a thud. They didn’t talk much for the next few moments, rather took in the view together. He rocked slightly in his seat, humming softly as he beamed up at Thorin, drinking in the sight in front of him.   
  
_How handsome,_ he thought, his eyes scanning every feature of the dwarf kings’ face. He couldn’t believe that they had kissed hours before, and the thought made him smile like a fool. As Thorin kept his gaze in front of him, Bilbo turned around when he heard his name being called in a faint whisper. A few meters away stood Fili and Kili, giggling like toddlers as they watched. As they noticed Bilbo’s gaze, Fili quickly ran behind Kili as the younger brother flicked his hand up and gave the hobbit a thumbs up before the two ran off, laughing as they did. The hobbits’ face flushed in embarrassment, but he grinned after them, not knowing that Thorins’ gaze was stuck on him.  
  
“Quite a charming sight, isn’t it?” The dwarf said in a rough whisper, not moving his eyes from Bilbo’s face. The hobbit turned to look at Thorin, and then to the lake, trees and sky in front of him.   
  
“Yes. We do not get many nights as wondrous as these back in Hobbiton. Of course, it’s the same night. But it feels entirely different out here” Bilbo breathed, closing his eyes as he inhaled the now-familiar scent of tobacco and fur from Thorin, and the fresh scent of pine from the surrounding trees.   
  
“I wasn’t talking about tonight” Thorin said lowly after a pause, causing Bilbo to gape up at him in shock. He blinked for a few moments, unsure if he was imagining this being played out or if it were actually happening.  
  
“T..Thorin..” Bilbo managed to say, wincing softly as he moved in his place, his wounds still stinging from before. Thorin leaned closer, slowly shuffling towards Bilbo as the hobbit sat still with his back straight, keeping his eyes on the dwarf king as the space between them got smaller and smaller. Softly, Thorin leaned forward, his lips hovering over Bilbo’s.  
  
“Mahal, help me” Thorin spoke out, before closing the gap between them in a soft, sweet kiss. Bilbo smiled into the kiss, into the unfamiliar feeling. It was strange, for no one would’ve thought that a kiss from such a brooding king would be so tender and slow. His lips were rougher, yes, but they moved in such a way that it did not fail to make his face grow warm. Thorin raised a hand to his cheek, stroking Bilbo’s cheekbone soothingly as he reluctantly pulled apart, pushing his forehead against his.  
  
“What are you doing to me, Master Baggins?” He chuckled in a hushed tone, closing his eyes as he relished the feeling of love that hung in the air like fog. Bilbo leaned into his touch, smiling against his hand before pulling away slightly.  
  
“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about, _King Under the Mountain”_ Bilbo giggled innocently, swooping up from his seat and walking slowly towards the water with his back turned to Thorin.  
  
The dwarf king grinned and slowly rose from his spot, tiptoeing behind bilbo without a sound. Suddenly, the hobbit felt strong arms wrap around his waist and push him into the lake in front of them, making him loose his breath before plunging into the freezing water. The burglar burst through the surface, wiping the water off his face.  
  
“Thorin!” Bilbo gasped before he flicked his hand against the surface, sending the water to splash against Thorin’s face.  
  
“Oh, you’re in for it now!” And with this, Thorin dove under and wrapped himself around Bilbo’s leg, dragging him under before setting him free once more. The hobbit laughed again, before leaping towards Thorin, wrapping his arms around his shoulders in a playful tackle. This was no way for a grown dwarf and hobbit to behave. However, Thorin made Bilbo feel younger than ever.   
  
“No fair!” Bilbo squealed in dismay when Thorin grabbed him and lifted him over his head.  
  
“You started it” The dwarf mocked with a grin, before placing Bilbo back in the water in front of him.

  
“If I remember correctly, Thorin, it was you who ‘started it’” Bilbo cooed, leaning his head tenderly against Thorins’ shoulder, hiding his face in Thorin’s neck. “You got my clothes all wet” Bilbo pointed out, feeling the weight of his layers dragging him towards the bottom of the lake, even though it was barely deep enough to drown in.  
  
“Sorry, _amrâlimê”_ Thorin hummed with a smile against Bilbo’s golden curls, before planting a warm kiss on top of his head. Bilbo grinned against Thorin’s warm skin, not knowing what it meant in khuzdul. However, because of how much of an alien language it was for him, it felt more intimate then something spoken in common-tongue. So, Bilbo chose not to ask what it was. Perhaps he could learn one day, when they take back The Lonely Mountain.  
  
~x~  


And so the endless hours of walking continued once more. The sun beamed down on them, casting long shadows to follow behind the group. For once, it was neither too hot nor too cool. The air was crisp and clean, fogging up as they breathed before fading away into the wind. The land that they crossed through was quite flat. In fact, it was all field.   
  
Tall grass sprouted out from the dry ground and tickled Bilbo’s knees as he trailed behind the group, his eyes glued to Thorin as he watched the dwarf king discuss matters with Balin. The old dwarf nodded intensely as he listened, and turned his head slightly as he caught Bilbo staring at Thorin. Thorin paused momentarily before following Balin’s gaze to Bilbo. His eyes widened and he smiled, warmth creeping over his face before quickening his pace, trying to escape Balin’s questioning. Bilbo smiled down at his feet and pressed on, listening to the chatter of the well-rested dwarves around them.   
  
His peace didn’t last long, however. Before Bilbo understood what had happened, Kili had charged with full-on force against his back, sending the hobbit down to the ground with a soft thud. He groaned, squirming helplessly under Kili’s strong gasp.  
  
“Hah! Told ya’ I could do it” The younger prince grinned up at Fili, who flipped him a coin in defeat.  
  
“What’s this all about? And would you please get off!” Bilbo muffled, his face in the grass. With a quick apology, Kili stood up and heaved the small hobbit to his feet.  
  
“I bet Kili that he wouldn’t have the guts to knock you down. ‘Suppose I was wrong” Fili shrugged with a small smile, brushing off a clump of dirt that had been collected on Bilbo’s shoulder.  
  
“So what were you and Uncle up to last night?” Fili quickly changed the subject with a cheeky grin and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, making Bilbo’s eyes flicker open in surprise.   
  
“W-we didn’t d-do an.. anything!” Bilbo stuttered nervously, his face red as he remembered the tender kiss that they had shared once more near the lake. The hobbit gulped and looked back at the rest of The Company. Noticing a chance for diversion, he rose a hand behind his neck and rubbed it awkwardly.  
  
“Hahah. Well, we should be j-joining them. I’ll see you guys… yeah” And it didn’t take more than a second for Bilbo to run from the conversation and to Bofurs side, gladly starting a new conversation with the merry dwarf. He tipped his hat down as he chuckled and smacked Bilbo’s back affectionately.   
  
~x~  
  
The day went by rather quickly, to Bilbo’s approval. And before he knew it, the sun had begun to set. Purple shadows were cast all around, making the sharper edges of mountains and the tallest of trees stand our more than they used to.   
  
Stars twinkled through the clouds in the sky, gleaming down at them happily. Bilbo smiled once he heard Bofur call that it was time for a story. Near the beginning of the journey, The Company had shared stories regularly in the evenings, going around in a circle to tell a tale. And when they would get to Bilbo, he would merely dismiss his turn, saying that he thought of no stories to tell. To be honest, not much had happened to him in The Shire. And to be honest, Bilbo knew many stories to tell. Stories of kings and queens, dragons and mystical creatures, romance and danger.   
  
Oh, so many books he went through. So many amazing journeys that his mind went on. And yet, he would never tell them.  
  
“I do believe ’tis Bilbo’s turn” Ori smiled gleefully, rocking with excitement when he caught Bilbo’s small smile.

“Oh, I wouldn’t try it, laddie. See here, Mr. Bilbo aint’ much of a story teller from what I’ve not heard” Dori pointed out with a swift nod.   
  
“Oh, you needn’t worry. I do have one in mind, this time” Bilbo said with a smile as all dwarves turned to look at him. Even Thorin, who would usually stand away from the group while they shared stories, looked over at them in interest.  
  
“A story from The Shire? Oh, how exciting!” Gloin clapped as Oin nodded along. As they all gathered around the hobbit. Bilbo looked around at them as they all adjusted in their spots, shuffling around to get comfortable. The hobbit cleared his throat nervously before beginning.  
  
“It’s not much of a story. More like a prophecy, really. My mother told it to me when I was very young” Bilbo’s smile faded softly as his mind wandered to his mother, before he shook his head, cleared his throat and began.  
  
“There was a boy. This boy was from a small village quite a while away from most villages. And when he grew old enough to become a man, he spent most of his time alone, as his family left him while he was very young. He had no friends, except for the occasional greeting from neighbouring people. Although, he didn’t mind the silence. In fact, he rather enjoyed it.” Bilbo slowly looked down at his hands, twirling his thumbs around each other before continuing.   
  
“He was to be very important, you see. He just didn’t know it yet. Until one day, his silent home became crowded with many people. Much louder and merrier than any others he had met before. Of course, he was in no power to stop them, but it did not matter. For soon he was off on a journey that would change his life forever. Friends were made, dangers were met.  
  
It is said that he was to become something of a Consort. A royal under a great kingdom. However, his reign would not last. Darkness would swarm over him like a cloud and suffocate him until he was gone. Until he was never seen again”   
  
He looked around, seeing the dull faces of the dwarves around the fire, the glow flickering around the camp. Bilbo paused for a moment, his mind searching for the correct words to end his story. Of course, what better way to end it than with the words of the prophecy itself.  
  
...  
  
_“Light shall leave the day, no longer gleaming bright. Our hero steps away, until returning in the night”_  
  
~x~


	12. The House of Beorn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They arrive at Beorns House just outside of Mirkwood. As weather seems to delay their journey, The Company is to stay in Beorns house for a day more than was expected. Bilbo spots Thorin smithing, plans are made with the skin-changer and Gandalf gives Bilbo advice that could get him thinking about his future with Thorin.

The trip to Beorns house wasn’t necessarily dreadful. They had crossed over a wide field that eventually formed into hills, which had reminded Bilbo a bit of The Shire. Of course, the hills weren’t as large or they didn’t have flowers or doors and benches. The grass was rough and dry and whipped his legs as they walked past, making them sting. Although, that was about as dreadful as it got. It was warm out, and the air was thin. Their clothes had dried and the wounds left on Bilbo’s skin had finally stopped aching. Even though they were still healing, he was able to run without the worry of them re-opening. They had stopped by various lakes to freshen up and Bilbo had gad fully taken the chance to bathe in privacy. Over the course of their journey as they walked, the dwarves had told Bilbo of the things that they had faced in the caverns with the goblins. They had spoken of the Goblin King and how rotten all the goblins smelled and Gandalf’s rescue.   
  
And then a few hours later they had caught sight of a large house just in front of a forest and heard the heavy sounds of an axe hitting wood and the grunts that sounded to belong to a strong man. Bilbo had been nervous and had hid behind Gandalf and the others once they caught sight of the man. He was tall, taller than Gandalf and brown hair ran all the way down from his head to his back, bushy eyebrows, and he had a rough brown beard that had pieces of sawdust and leaves in it. He growled threateningly at the sight of all the dwarves, for he had stated many times that he despised their company. He even thought Bilbo to be a dwarf and to Bilbo’s relief, Gandalf had corrected the man that the burglar was indeed a hobbit.  
  
Beorn was his name, and he was a skin-changer. He would take shape as a bear, except much bigger than any ordinary bear. His teeth stayed clean and sharp when he took the form of a man, except slightly more human than the giant fangs of the beast. Fortunately for them, they didn’t see him take that form just yet. And now, they lay in the house of giant things. The house had green moss matted down on the roof and it was mostly made out of wood. Carvings decorated the walls and posts completely, mostly of bears and nature. Stone bricks were packed below the giant slabs of wood to keep the house stable. The house had a large supply of hay and food for the cows that Beorn had in their stalls.  
  
The wind had turned warm and blew lazily into the house, which woke Bilbo from his rest the day after. He stretched his arms over his head, blinking a few times as he adjusted to the light that entered through the house. Bilbo yawned and slowly sat up, stretching his toes before taking in his surrounding. Large bees flew by, buzzing as they passed over his head. Mice scattered around, squeaking as they ran up tables and through holes.  
  
Otherwise, the house was quiet, and the dwarves lay around him snoring loudly as they were stretched around the hay on the floor. Bilbo counted them all, a habit that he had picked up over the course of the journey since he was the one to wake up first. All seemed to be in order until he only counted twelve. Thorin was missing.  
  
Bilbo rose from his place and wandered around the house, spotting that Beorn and Gandalf were also sleeping on the large dining table. As he walked under the large roof of the house. He was soon aware that there was heavy metallic sounds coming from outside of the house. Slowly, he walked out of the door and turned around the corner to where the garden, the chopping table and a n anvil stood. Bilbo’s lips parted when he saw what was causing the sounds.  
  
Thorin stood hovering over the anvil, with Bilbo’s sword placed over it. The dwarf king had gripped on the handle tightly and in his other hand, held a large metal hammer than he brought down on Bilbo’s sword heavily. His shirt was hung on the branch of a tree just behind him, and sweat rolled down his chest and his face, causing him to shine in the morning sun. Bilbo gulped heavily as his eyes glazed over Thorin’s body and warmth spread below his stomach. With a red face, he nervously approached the dwarf and smiled once Thorin had made eye contact with him. He dropped the hammer and kept the sword of the anvil, before approaching Bilbo. Slowly he wiped his forearm over his head to remove the sweat that covered his skin..  
  
“I was just mending your sword. I suppose it was a bit bent from the mountains” Thorin said with a sweet smile as he stopped when they were close enough to have a conversation.

“Oh, you needn’t-“ Bilbo began, flustered that Thorin had done such a thing for him.  
  
“Don’t worry. It caused no trouble at all. I woke up early this morning and it gave me something to do” He said lowly, before looking back to the scene behind him and back to Bilbo. The hobbit smiled warmly, love in his eyes as he took in the sight in front of him.  
  
“I do suppose they’ll be waking soon” Thorin began in the midst of the silence, before continuing.  
  
“Oh, yes! Yes, indeed. I’ll go and prepare breakfast, or something” Bilbo giggled softly before backing away a few paces and turning around to go back into the house.  
  
“Master Baggins, wait-“ Thorin spoke behind him, causing the hobbit to turn around quickly. His lips came in contact with Thorin’s and they shared a soothing kiss. Thorin’s beard tickled Bilbo’s face as he leaned into the kiss before breaking apart with heavy breaths.  
  
“Good morning” Thorin grinned before swinging around back towards the anvil and continuing what he was doing before, his face flushed red with embarrassment. Bilbo smiled lovingly towards him, before going back into the house to prepare a hearty meal for the dwarves.  
  
The meal was large, but the dwarves seemed to finish it so quickly that by the time Bilbo had set down the last giant plate of food, it was nearly all gone. However, unlike all their previous meals, no food was thrown and no drinks were spilled under the dark gaze of Beorn, who sat at the edge of the table in front of Gandalf quietly eating a leg of chicken. Their was plenty of conversation and merry laughter, so the dwarves did not notice much of a difference.  
  
After the meal, Bilbo had agreed to practice more with his arm and his sword, which Bilbo could not think of a name for. After all, Balin had stated that it was nothing more than a letter opener, hardly a sword used for combat. But nonetheless, it was Bilbo’s side and seemed to work just fine when he swung it. If only we was skilled in sword fighting. The hobbit looked in front of him, his chest heaving after the hour or two of practicing they had been through.  
  
Kili stood on the other side, leaning on the handle of his sword while the blade was stuck in the ground. He hardly looked exhausted at all. In fact, his face held a smug grin and his eyes danced with amusement. Bilbo raised his sword in front of him and flicked his eyes towards the handle, making sure he was gripping onto it correctly.  
  
“Burglar, we’ve been over this many times! Keep yer’ elbow up and eyes focused on me” Kili sighed and raised to fingers to his eyes and then to Bilbo, his sword in his other hand. Bilbo sighed in exhaustion and turned his gaze back to Kili, sweat rolling down his skin as the warm sun beamed down on them. “Your balance is much better, I’m havin’ a hard time pushing you over like last time” Kili grinned cheekily, before swinging his sword in front of him and charging at the hobbit.  
  
Bilbo clenched his jaw and ran forward, swiftly ducking under the sword that the younger prince swing and pushed his up, making their swords clash with a loud clang. Kili made a small subtle gasp and Bilbo ducked forward between his legs and quickly placed a foot on his back and pushed the dwarf forward, sending him to topple on the floor. Bilbo grabbed his sword and placed it under Kili’s chin once he had rolled over and placed his hands up in defeat. And from behind him, Fili, Ori, Nori, Gloin, and Bofur cheered at Kili’s defeat.  
  
“Ey, not fair!” Kili groaned playfully as he rubbed his back where Bilbo had kicked him.  
  
“Being small does have it’s perks” Bilbo nodded along, running a hand over his sword which was smoother after Thorin had fixed it up. His chest went warm as he remembered Thorin without a shirt, his skin shining.  
  
“Bilbo?!” Bofur shook his shoulder, waking him from his embarrassing trance. “You ‘aight, laddie?” 

“Yes, yes” Bilbo patted his hand, shaking his head in hopes to rid off the blush that remained on his face.  
  
“Gandalf told us that he’s to speak with us ‘bout what we’re doing next” Ori stated quietly with a small smile, which Bilbo happily returned.  
  
~x~  
  
“..and into Mirkwood. Now, you see, Mirkwood is not a place of safety. It’s sick and the very air is heavy with illusion. And if we’re lucky, we are not to run into the wood elves. They are quite unlike their relatives in Rivendell. They are ruthless and dangerous, and would not be so kind to see us wander apon their trails. We are to travel quickly but swiftly” Gandalf nodded once the dwarves had gathered around him on the giant dining table in Beorn’s house. Giant mugs full of ale were placed and the dwarves seemed to finish them in no time. But this hadn’t crossed Bilbo’s mind ever since Gandalf mentioned a sick forest. Sick meant danger, and where there was danger, Bilbo rather not be.  
  
“How are we to pass them without being spotted?” Thorin looked up at Gandalf after he took a large few gulps of ale.  
  
“We must travel quietly. If able, we stay off the worn out paths and walk apon the stone road that goes around their paths” Gandalf nodded, running a skinny hand through his beard before looking up at Beorn. “We needn’t cause any trouble if we are to leave today” Gandalf said, fumbling his thumbs together nervously. Beorn huffed and took a long drink, the golden drink running down his chin and into his beard.  
  
“If you hadn’t noticed, not only is this land crawling with orcs, but it is seemed to storm tonight. It would not be wise to start travelling today” He stated simply, having only blinked once during his sentence. His eyes were intense are stared at the dwarves as if he knew all their secrets. When his gaze to Bilbo’s, the hobbit slunk slightly in his seat and quickly averted his eyes, staring at a beetle that crawled over the surface of the table.  
  
“So we are to stay another night, then” Gandalf nodded along gruffly, furrowing his eyebrows together as his thoughts swirled dangerously in his mind. Bilbo lifted his chin up and gulped. The dwarves were shortly excused afterwards and Bilbo had decided in his mind that it was a right good day to go for a walk.  
  
~x~  
  
The day went by quickly, and Bilbo had been wandering around the meadows near Beorn’s house for a few hours. The sun had began to set, casting it’s usual purple and orange glow over the surrounding land. The fields ran on for ages. All the way from the mountains to “Mirkwood” that lay just beyond the house. Stars began to appear amongst the purple sky as the moon rose up from the horizon, shining brightly in the sky as it faced the sun with it’s glow.  
  
Crickets chirped around the fields and groups of them hopped away as Bilbo treaded through the tall grass. He shoved his hands in his pockets and started to whistle a song that he had learned just the day before he left The Shire. And soon, his mind went back to his warm home. Where there would be no orcs or dwarves or wizards to bother him. And somewhere, in his heart, he longed to return back home.  
  
“One day” Bilbo nodded to himself with a small smile. “One day”  
  
“Ah, Bilbo Baggins. Might I accompany you on this walk?” A rough voice came from behind him, making Bilbo turn in surprise. However, he sighed in relief to see that it was merely just the wizard who had invited him to take part on this journey in the first place.  
  
“Oh, yes Gandalf. Of course” Bilbo smiled nervously as Gandalf picked up his pace so that they matched strides next to each other. The old wizard was quiet for a while, and his long beard whipped past his chest and his cape flapped around behind him as the cool wind blew past. It didn’t take long before they both decided to take a rest and sit themselves in the soft grass below them. Fortunately for Bilbo, Gandalf took out both Bilbo’s and his pipes from under his cloak. The hobbit smiled softly as he took his pipe that he got from home. The engravings around the edges were smooth and warm, nothing dangerous or threatening like the carvings in Beorn’s house.  
  
As Bilbo thought about taking a puff, he frowned.  
  
“What is the matter?” Gandalf spoke out from the silence after blowing a large smoke ring that quickly turned into a bird, flew a round for a few seconds before disappearing into a poof of cloud.  
  
“It is just that this journey has turned out quite different from what I thought it would turn out to be” Bilbo said with a sigh, looking up at the grey wizard. Gandalf paused for a moment, blinking down at the hobbit as he searched for the correct words, before smiling widely.  
  
“My dear fellow” He began before taking another quick smoke from his pipe. “Never in my life have I expected something to turn out the way it did. It is not in our power to control what happens. But it is how we deal with them that makes it worthwhile” Gandalf spoke slowly and full of wisdom, before chuckling deeply and patting Bilbo on the back. “You’ve changed” He said with a nod as Bilbo continued to frown down at his pipe. However, his comment made the hobbit quickly look back up at him with curiosity.  
  
“Changed?” He cocked his head to the side.  
  
“Yes! Changed” Gandalf smiled before continuing. “Something new in your heart, I suppose. Something about tonight makes me feel that something has changed. Something about you not wanting to smoke tells me that something _has_ changed” He nodded knowingly, making Bilbo’s wind wander if Gandalf could feel that something had changed. And that was the fault of this brooding dwarf king whom he had come to know as Thorin Oakenshield.  
  
“And change is not necessarily bad” Gandalf pointed out, knowing that hobbits were not ones who easily dealt with the scary concept of change. “I do believe that change is what helps us, in many cases, to become _something more”_  
  
And with this, Gandalf glanced back up into the sky and he smiled, larger wrinkles appearing at the corners of his eyes as he did so. Bilbo nodded as he looked down to the grass and up into the stars that were dusted on the dark sky above them. And soon enough, dark clouds began to drift above them and rain drizzled down from the sky, clogging Gandalf’s pipe, making him swear under his breath. Bilbo’s mind ran over what the old wizard had said, and he smiled to himself as his heart remembered what had happened before.  
  
…  
  
“Something more..”  
  
~x~


	13. The World Ahead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dreadful storm his during the night, something happens to Bilbo that will undoubtedly delay their rate of traveling, and Dwalin isn't too pleased with the situation.
> 
> Note: (If you're not familiar with the song used, it's A Walking Song. In LOTR, it's when Pippin sings for Denethor. You can listen to it during the first scene, if you'd like!) This one's a bit of a shorter chapter, but my second set of exams are going on at the moment. I'll see if I can get another longer one up over the weekend! Enjoy ~

Rain thundered hard down on the roof above them, hitting the walls with loud tapping. Wind blew harshly through the windows and under the gap beneath the door, making Bilbo shiver as the cool air rushed around them. It was dark inside and heavy fog hung around outside, making looking outside rather dull.   
  
The group lay down huddled together, trying desperately to get some rest. Even the dwarves found it hard to fall asleep, some wriggling restlessly while others lay staring at the ceiling. Bilbo lay with his back against Thorin’s, feeling his warmth calm him down a bit. Lightning flashed and thunder seemed to shake Beorn’s house, the slabs of wood creaking under each other. The cows mooed in their stalls and the mice squeaked in alarm, scattering about before finding a small gap they could hide under. The dwarves were silent, except from the occasional whine when lightning would flash, scaring Ori.  
  
The boom from the thunder seemed to become distant for a moment, before it would shake the ground once more. The fire from the fireplace on the wall in front of him cracked and flicked in the wind, seeming to not give off any heat at all.  
  
Bilbo shifted on his back, pushing upwards with his feet so that the back of his head rested on top of a stack of hay. He pressed his mouth in a straight line anklet his eyes shift around to look at the dwarves. Ori quivered under Dori’s arm, with two hands over his ears. The others lay down silently, either fiddling with a piece of straw or adjusting their position. Bilbo inhaled heavily and looked out of the window.  
  
“Home is behind” He sang in a hushed tone. “The world ahead”  
  
As Bilbo sang, some of the dwarves turned their attention to him, their eyes heavy with exhaustion.  
  
“And there are many paths to tread”  
  
Ori stopped shaking and removed his gloved-hands from his ears, before looking at the cracking fire in front of them. The room felt warmer, the heat of the fire warming up Bilbo’s feet. Dwalin sat upright, his face stern. Bilbo didn’t shift his gaze from the window as he watched the heavy rain fall down through the fog.  
  
“Through shadow. To the edge of night”  
  
He felt Thorin grunt softly in his sleep, shifting his shoulder slightly, pressing closer to Bilbo. Gloin glanced over at his brothers, nodding softly as they listened.  
  
“Until the stars are all alight”  
  
This time it was Gandalf he looked over, smoking softly on his pipe as he furrowed his two bushy eyebrows together, the smoke swirling up the ceiling and disappearing into the cool air. The hobbit paused before he continued, now aware of the audience that he had unknowingly gathered.  
  
“Mist and shadow. Cloud and shade”  
  
It was a song that he had heard from his father back in hobbiton. In fact, it was quite a popular one amongst the Took’s and Baggins. They sung it merrily at gatherings. Only just now had Bilbo listened to the lyrics, now aware that it was not much of a happy song. Beorn slowly walked around a pillar in his house, holding a large mug full of ale that dripped over the side and landed on the floor.  
  
“All shall fade”  
  
“All shall…”  
  
Thorin woke at this, looking over his shoulder so that he could glance at Bilbo. The hobbit’s breath caught in his throat as he looked down at Thorin, biting the inside of his cheek. Thorin slowly pressed his eyebrows together and something in his face changed. Bilbo blinked a few times, before finishing the song.  
  
“…fade”  
  
~x~  
  
The rain had calmed down and the fog had cleared once Bilbo woke up. Although, the rain still drizzled down from the dark clouds that hung in the sky. The grass was green with dew, running down the stems as the light rain washed it away. Frogs hopped lazily around a pond near the garden, leaping from stone to stone. Birds tweeted under the heavy cover of the trees, burying themselves in their nests.  
  
The rain slowly dripped down from the edge of the roof, hitting the stoney floor surrounding the outside of the wooden wall with light taps. A small bird flew through the window and glided up to the roof of the house, perching itself in the corner of one of the planks holding up the ceiling. The hobbit yawned, stretching his arms and shifting on his shoulder. He mumbled softly, wiggling his nose as an itch tickled his nose.  
  
Slowly he opened his heavy eyes, blinking away the exhaustion.  
  
He paused for a moment, before flicking them wide open as he saw Thorin’s face just inches away form his. He was still asleep, and the sunlight gleamed through the rain onto his face, making his skin look smooth. His beard had become thicker since the start of the journey, and his face looked tired and rough. The dwarf parted his lips as he breathed in slowly, before exhaling through his nose.  
  
Bilbo jumped back at the closeness, sitting upright with his face flushed red. As he jumped back, he hit his head on one of the chairs beside the large table. He yelped in pain, before noticing that a large mug of ale had tipped over the side and hit the floor with a loud bang.  
  
The dwarves groaned and yelled in surprise as they all stirred awake, including Thorin, reaching for their swords in defence.  
  
“Eh, what is it?”  
  
“What’s happened?!”  
  
“Dori get off of my leg!”  
  
“That’s not his leg, it’s mine!”  
  
“Just five more minutes, laddies”  
  
“I swear if it’s orcs, I’m gonna-“  
  
“Careful with yer’ language!”  
  
“What? I didn’t say anything!”  
  
“Not you, him!”  
  
Thorin looked sleepily up at Bilbo, the side of his hair messed up from the way he was sleeping. Bits of straw were tangled up in his beard and hair, leaving imprints of lines from the hay on his face. He blinked his eyes lazily, rubbing the back of his hand on his eyes as he woke up. Bilbo smiled nervously at him, before facing the dwarves.  
  
“I… t-think I saw something outside!” Bilbo called out, pointing towards the window.  
  
“Aye, mates! You heard ‘em!”  
  
“Time to go, lad’s”  
  
And with that, the group stumbled up and pushed each other out of the door into the drizzling rain, yelling as they searched for what Bilbo had ‘seen’. Bilbo turned his attention down to Thorin and smiled a dumbfounded smile when he saw the amused smirk plastered on the dwarf’s face. The hobbit giggled softly, knowing that Thorin knew of his attempt to get the dwarves up and running. Slowly the dwarf stood up, arching his back slightly as a crack came from down his spine.  
  
He looked down at Bilbo and noticed that the hobbit seemed to be shivering. Thorin paused for a moment, glancing downwards before a soft sigh escaped his mouth and he slipped his coat off of his broad shoulders. Bilbo’s eyes widened slightly and his heart began to race once Thorin draped the warm, heavy coat over his shoulders.  
  
And, suddenly, he felt desire to just kiss him one more time. He bit down on his lower lip softly as he remembered the feeling of Thorin’s lips moving against his, and his warm skin pressing against Bilbo’s soothingly. The hobbit sighed and looked down, embarrassed to be thinking of such things, before hearing Thorin walk away reluctantly to breakfast.  
  
~x~  
  
Bilbo groaned in pain, clutching at his torso as his wounds burned whenever he would move. Unfortunately for the burglar, his wounds had somehow opened up over night and had become swollen with infection, no doubt from the duel the other day. His head was heavy and hot, spinning whenever he would move it. Sweat droplets rolled down the side of his head, dripping off his nose and face. He snuggled closer into Thorin’s warm jacket, shivering under the warm material.  
  
“He’s got a fever” Gloin mumbled, taking his large hand off of Bilbo’s head before turning to Thorin with his eyebrows pushed together. “I put some herbs on his wounds, but in the meantime, there’s nothing I can do for him while it heals. He needs rest” He said lowly, his thick accent echoing around the house.  
  
“We haven’t the time! Durin’s Day is soon to come and we have yet to reach the mountain!” Dwalin protested, his voice rough and firm.  
  
“He’ll be worse if he moves, brother!” Balin said quickly, glancing down at Bilbo worriedly.  
  
“He can go on a pony! He is sure to be better by the time we reach the forest!” One voice called, before being drowned by the others. There was a few minutes of voices becoming louder and louder as one dwarf tried to speak over another. Thorin shook his head, before glancing at Bilbo and then to Gloin, his eyes silently pleading as concern spread across his face.

“Enough!” Gandalf bellowed from next to Bilbo, one thin hand placed on his shoulder. “A pony it is” He nodded gruffly, taking the decision that they were in no position to waste time. Bilbo sighed softly before whining as The Wizard attempted to heave him up.  
  
It didn’t take long at all for everything to be sorted. The dwarves had started walking while Bilbo managed to stay sitting up right on a pony. Kili held the lead for the horse in one hand, and Fili walked on the other side of Bilbo to keep him company. To the hobbit’s relief, Thorin hadn’t requested for his jacket back.  
  
The storm seemed to clear up before long. The clouds had parted and the grass was wet with fresh dew hanging on the long, green sprouts. The dirt was damp and matted down, which squelched underfoot. After a few moments, he began to pay attention to Fili and Kili as they whispered words of Bilbo and Thorin before their voices faded down to small, hushed sounds. Bilbo adjusted his balance on the back, before frowning down at Fili and Kili as they grinned cheekily.  
  
“You boys..” He sighed, shaking his head softy as a sharp ping rang in his ears. “What am I going to do with you two” He whispered to himself, before raising a cold hand to his head. Ori began to hop back to where Bilbo, Fili and Kili trotted on. The nephews seemed to stop their gossiping and stayed quiet as the young lad spoke of tales back in the Blue Mountains. Bilbo’s head was listening to Ori, but his were eyes fixed on Thorin. The dwarf king was chatting to Dwalin just a few feet from Bilbo, and the hobbit could just pick up their conversation.  
  
“…no good at all! We are to be wasting time if we’re dragging dead weight around” Dwalin snapped gruffly, his arms crossed over his chest.  
  
“He has proved himself plenty useful so far” Thorin retorted back in defence, keeping his eyes glued to the horizon in front of him. Gandalf treaded at the front of the group, one hand on his hat as the wind blew roughly, blocking the conversation from Bilbo’s ears for a moment. The hobbit strained his neck, desperate to listen.  
  
“…if we are not to reach the mountain in time? It will be his doing! We should be travelling twice this rate” Dwalin pointed out, placing a strong hand on the king’s shoulder to catch his attention. Thorin glanced his way, his eyebrows furrowed together as his mind swirled with mixed-feelings.  
  
“Wait one min-“  
  
“Thorin, think of your father. This was his journey and Mr. Baggins here is stopping you from completing it! Have you gone soft, Thorin?" Dwalin growled.  
  
"I have not! He is our burglar and it is our duty to make sure that he gets to the mountain and return safely"  
  
Dwalin paused for a second, glaring at his close friend suspiciously. "Listen. If you feel anything for the hobbit, it's dangerous. Not just for you, but for him-"  
  
"I have no interest in this.. hobbit!" Thorin raised his voice gruffly, his eyes dark and his face hot with anger. A small gasp escaped from Bilbo's lips, and tears threatened to fall.  
  
Thorin paused for a moment. He didn’t answer for a long while, his head turned down to the ground as he walked through the grass roughly, his black boots stained with mud. Thorin pressed his lips together and Bilbo winced as his mind replayed his words. “Perhaps it is best if we leave him behind” He stated with a nod.  
  
“For his sake and ours”  
  
Thorin looked back at the hobbit with firm eyes. Bilbo’s vision blurred with tears and his face flushed with anger. They shared a moment of many emotions at once. Confusion, fear, anger and pain. Thorin’s face grew softer as he noticed Bilbo’s reddened eyes, the sting from his words hurting more than any wound. Thorin’s lips parted, as if he were to say something. Bilbo blinked softly, before he averted his eyes from the dwarf’s gaze, staring at the ground. Fili, Kili and Ori seemed to notice nothing and continued their conversation as Bilbo's chest shook.  
  
...  
  
“Stupid hobbit” He thought to himself crossly, before shutting his eyes tight as a tear fell down his cheek.  
  
~x~


	14. Beasts of Mirkwood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Why spiders? Why couldn't it be "follow the butterflies"?'
> 
> As the group enter the disease-infested forest of Mirkwood, they run into some unwelcome inhabitants. No fluff in this chapter u_u

It didn’t take long before the group had reached the edge of Mirkwood, the sick forest in which the air was heavy and humid. Bilbo hadn’t spoken a word since Thorin had exclaimed that he, indeed, had no feelings for him whatsoever. Bilbo had bit down on his tongue and decided to stay silent, his heart breaking with each stride of the horse. Fortunately for him, his fever had subsided and his pain had become numb by the time they reached the forest, and they had sent his pony back to its’ master. The dwarves were now unpacking their bags from Gandalf’s horse, dropping them on the ground and throwing pieces of clothing and pots at each other. Gandalf approached the forest, walking just a few steps inside the shadows of the thick trees. Bilbo followed after him, walking around Thorin before looking up at the towering trees.  
  
Bilbo paused and turned to glance up at the tall wizard, his face full of concern. “Is there no way around?”  
  
“I’m afraid not. Unless we go two hundred miles north, or twice that distance…” He paused his gaze quickly turning from Bilbo to something that caught his attention. “…south”  
  
Bilbo wiggled his nose in concern, and turned on his heel so that he wasn’t facing the company. wizard prodded a stone statue with his staff lightly, which was covered in winding plants. The hobbit quietly reached for the Ring that he had found earlier, and played with the Ring softly with his fingers. He didn’t know what it was, but something very strange was happening with this Ring of his. Voices whispered in his ears, and something seemed to pull him towards the Ring, as if it were magic. Gandalf whipped the vines off of the statue quickly, raising his staff as a painted-on eye of Sauron was decorated on the statue.  
  
Bilbo gasped and gripped on to his Ring, suddenly feeling light headed and out of breath.  
  
“The High Fells” Gandalf said out of the silence of the forest. Bilbo quickly dropped the Ring in his pocket and turned around, his chest shaking with lack of breath but his face serious as if nothing had happened. The wizard nodded to himself, before walking forward. “So be it”  
  
“Not my horse!” Gandalf bellowed out from the forest, walking swiftly towards the giant horse that stood towering over Bilbo alone.  
  
“You’re leaving?” The hobbit gaped up at him as the dwarves groaned and started to put back Gandalf’s items back on the horses’ back. Bilbo had grown quite fond of Gandalf’s company, and wished he would stay as he felt to become a close friend of his. Besides, he was a wizard. They would be much better off with a wizard in their midst.  
  
“I would not do this unless I had to” Gandalf said quickly, adjusting his bags on his horse before looking down at Bilbo, who looked and felt truly dejected.  
  
“You’ve changed, Bilbo Baggins” The wizard narrowed his eyes, smiling slightly as he recalled their previous conversation. “Yes, indeed you have. You are not the same hobbit who left the comfort of the Shire” Bilbo forced a soft smile up at Gandalf, trying to block away the thought of his warm home.  
  
“I… found something” Bilbo coughed, before speaking quickly as to clarify. “In the Goblin tunnels”  
  
Gandalf’s smile melted into a frown and he narrowed his eyebrows in suspicion and curiosity. “What did you find?”  
  
Bilbo paused, fumbling the Ring in his pocket. He parted his lips and prepared to speak, but something held him back. And he felt somewhere within him that he mustn’t tell Gandalf of what he had truly found, which was the Ring. For what reason, he would not know. Not for a long while.  
  
“My courage” He smiled, slipping his hand out of his pocket and beaming up at Gandalf with fake pride.  
  
“Good, young lad!” Gandalf nodded with a light chuckle, patting him on the shoulder a bit, before his smile faded once more. “You’ll need it”  
  
~x~  
  
“Stay on the path. Do not leave it”  
  
Bilbo whispered to himself repeatedly, limping behind the group.  
  
“Stay on the path. Do not leave it”  
  
The hobbit kept his eyes fixed on the waddling dwarves in front of him, but most of all on Thorin. He felt anger and frustration.  
  
“Stay on the path. Do not leave it”  
  
It wasn’t like he volunteered to come help them. In fact, they needed him more than he needed them. Yes! That was right! Bilbo kicked a small stone with his foot and watched as it bounced off a tree and into the bushes on the opposite side. He huffed to himself, and his heart bolted as he forgot to keep repeating what Gandalf had said to them.  
  
“Leave the path. Do not stay. Or was it, Do not path? Leave not stay? Argh! Blasted forest!” He mumbled angrily, shaking his head as the heavy fog swirled around them strangely. It was dense, weighing down their clothes as they trotted through the muddy undergrowth.  
  
“Air! I need air” Bofur huffed, twirling around as he seemed to loose all sense of direction.  
  
“What’s happening?”  
  
“The path! It’s disappeared!”  
  
“We’ve lost the path!”  
  
“Find it! All of you, look for the path!”  
  
They all began to become frantic, their breathing heavy and their eyes struggling to adjust to the dark forest. Strange colors of plants and grass sprouted from around them, and Bilbo winced in pain as he stepped on a thorn at least three times so far. The dwarves mumbled and groaned as confusion swept over them. They were sure making a racket, and it echoed throughout the whole forest with ease.  
  
“It’s got to be here!” Bilbo said quickly, looking around as his heart began to race.  
  
“I don’t remember this part before! None of this is familiar”  
  
“What hour is it?”  
  
“Is there no end to this accursed place?!” Thorin bellowed from the voices of the dwarves. They all stopped walking and began to spread out around the area that they were on, all desperately looking for the path. Bilbo wandered towards a tree stump, which was covered with sticky white web that spread across the trees. He bent down, inspecting the web cautiously before plucking the web, hearing low vibrations as it continued down a long path of webs.  
  
The group continued to walk once more, trying to keep their vision straight and their minds clear. Bilbo looked behind him, hoping to see Dori. Although, it wasn’t quite Dori. In fact, it seemed to be Bilbo looking back at him! The hobbit blinked his eyes and shook his head, before slowly turning ahead. Strange.  
  
“A tobacco pouch! Dwarves are here!” Dori exclaimed as they stopped once more, shifting and tilting as he stood. Thankfully, he quite looked like Dori once more.  
  
“Dwarves from the Blue Mountains! This is exactly the same as mine!” Bofur gasped, grasping the pouch from Dori, examining it closely.  
  
“Because it is yours” Bilbo sighed, tilting his head towards Bofur as he walked forward. “Do you understand? We’re going around in circles. We are lost!” The hobbit exclaimed, slightly frustrated at the state that the forest had put them in.  
  
“How can we be lost? We keep heading east” Dwalin said gruffly towards Bilbo, making the hobbit feel even more dreadful that he was already feeling.  
  
“But which way is east?” Oin asked, turning around as he looked at his brother.  
  
“We’ve lost the sun!”  
  
“How can we loose the sun?!”  
  
“We’re lost!”  
  
“Lost?! What’s going on here?”  
  
The dwarves began to bicker, their voices growing louder and louder as they continued. The hobbit winced and drew a hand to his head, hearing the thumping of his own heart. He tapped his forehead lightly, trying to clear his mind. The dwarves started to fight. They growled as they shoved each other and tried to break other fights apart.  
  
“The sun.. We have to find the sun” Bilbo hummed to himself, before looking up at the sky between the leaves of the giant trees. “Up there!” And with this, the hobbit nodded to himself and began to climb up one of the trees, wrapping his hand over each branch. Bilbo barely noticed under the whispering of the wind and his own breathing that Thorin had broken up the fights between the dwarves and had started talking.  
  
“Enough! All of you! We’re being watched”  
  
Bilbo’s head broke through the trees and into the air. The heaviness of the air seemed to stick with his mind for a moment and his chest was raking for oxygen. But then suddenly, he felt the warm sun spread across his face. The air was clear and sharp, making breathing easier. His head instantly cleared and he opened his eyes with a wide smile as he welcomed the soft breeze. Butterflies burst around him as he moved, fluttering in front of him before scattering away into the crisp air. The hobbit laughed breathlessly, before he looked into the distance and squinted his eyes as his eyes began to adjust to the bright light of the day.  
  
“A lake! And a river” The Bilbo smiled at the landmarks, before something else caught his eye. Something large and grey. He pushed away a bunch of leaves from the top and smiled widely, the smile reaching his eyes as he caught sight of what was in front of him. “And the Lonely Mountain! We’re almost there! “I know which way to go” He called out to the dwarves below, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment wash over him like a wave. Silence followed and his smile began to fade softly. “Hello?”  
  
No answer.  
  
Something else caught his attention and he brought his gaze to the trees in front of him. They moved haphazardly, swaying as something pushed them aside, coming straight to where Bilbo sat in the trees. Worry filled his heart he narrowed his eyes cautiously. “Hello?” He said to himself, before crawling down a bit to see what was approaching. He stepped forward, gasping as he fell back, thumping painfully against branches, before he was caught in a massive web that stuck to the side of a neighbouring tree. He writhed and lifted his arms, struggling to free himself. He winced as his elbow stung with a graze, and he tilted his head once he heard something clicking and hissing.  
  
Slowly, something drew back a piece of web and Bilbo screamed in horror as a massive spider jumped out from the long sheet of web that hung in front of him. It opened its fangs and jumped on him, before wrapping up him tightly in the sticky web. Bilbo struggled and a muffled yell escaped his throat, before his head hit against a rough piece of wood and his mind went blank.

~x~  
  
Bilbo groaned, his head aching as he opened his eyes slowly. Panic struck through his chest as he realised that he was covered in web, making it hard to see what was going on around him. A sider bent towards him, it’s baring it’s fangs. Bilbo quickly swung his sword out from his side and jabbed it sharply through the web and straight through the spider’s body. It hissed and snarled in pain before straightening up and falling off of the sword and down onto the ground below the trees. He ripped off most of the web that held onto him like a cocoon and hopped behind one of the thick trunks.  
  
He peered around, seeing what was around him. Around him, the area was surrounded in webs. Tunnels through the webs stretched along for as far as he could see, where spiders seemed to crawl in and out of. In front of him, the dwarves were wrapped up upside down, right-side up in similar web cocoons.  
  
One wriggled beneath the cocoon of web, and he could tell from the quiver that stuck through the web that it was Kili. The hobbit gasped as the spiders gathered around him and he quickly slipped on the Ring, his breathing quickening as he did so and the colors loosing their brightness around him. Everything became muffled and wavy, but Bilbo walked out from behind the trunk anyways, approaching the spiders with his sword.

“Kiill theeemm! Kiill theeem!” One of the spiders hissed roughly, flicking it’s stick-like arms around.  
  
“Eaat them! Niicce and runny!” Another growled.  
  
“The hide is toughhh. Good juice inside!”  
  
“Stick it again! Finish it off!”  
  
“The meat is still alive! Alive and kicking!”  
  
“Let us feast!”  
  
“Feast! Feast! Feast!”  
  
Spiders from all around seemed to chant together, approaching the dwarf (which Bilbo had presumed to be Kili) with their fangs ready to use. The hobbit panicked, his heart thumping widely as he picked up a chunk of wood that lay on the branch which he stood on. The hobbit nodded to himself, before throwing it down to the ground away from them, listening to it as it hit the branches and then thumped on the floor, making twigs and leaves crack underneath it. The spiders all turned their attention to the sound and hissed crossly.  
  
“What is it?!”  
  
“Follow it!”

“Kill it!”  
  
However, one spider decided to stay around Kili, moving it’s smaller arms over it’s sharp mouth as it prepared to dig in. “Just a little taste” It whispered roughly, raising its fangs as it was about to bite down. Quickly, Bilbo ran towards it and swiped his sword across the spiders’ head, making it hiss and screech in pain, drawing away from Kili who struggled beneath the web.  
  
“Curses! Where is it?! Where is it, where is it?” It looked around blindly, unaware that Bilbo stood in front of it completely invisible. The hobbit grinned and slipped the Ring off his finger, showing it to the spider. “Here!” He spoke, before thrusting the sword directly into the spiders head.  
  
“Stings! It stings! Arrggh, sting!” It squealed, before falling down to the ground, bouncing off branches as it fell to the floor below, dead.  
  
Bilbo nodded and looked at his sword with a proud smile, slightly scared for his life from giant spiders but proud nonetheless. “Sting. That’s a decent name” He nodded down to the dead spider below, barely seeing it through the dense webs. “Sting” He smiled and went after the other dwarves who still hung wrapped in webs. Bilbo ran towards the dwarves and cut down on the pieces of webs that had them attached. They slowly fell through layers of webs, before landing softly on the floor as they ripped through their webs.  
  
“Where’s Bilbo?” Bofur called out as he helped Bombur get through the webs.  
  
“Bilbo?!” Fili called around nervously.  
  
“I’m up here-“ Just as Bilbo called down to the dwarves, a spider pinned the hobbit down against the branch. The burglar yelled in surprise, before stabbing through the chest of the spider repeatedly, before it fell dead on top of him. As he struggled to get through the entangled legs, it fell down off the branch, with Bilbo tight in its’ grasp. The hobbit yelled in panic as his stomach dropped and he watched the Ring bounce off of branches and onto the floor before he landed with  a thud. 

Meanwhile, The Company of Thorin Oakenshield, minus the burglar and the wizard, were busy fighting off numerous amounts of spiders that came all around them. Fili jumped in front of Kili as one leaped towards them, slashing it in the chest with his sword before it fell dead onto the damp floor.   
  
Bilbo rose from the grasp of the dead spider, and began to look around frantically for the lost Ring. His heart raced as it was no where in sight. He turn around where he stood, his breathing slowing down as he heard the faint whispers of the Ring call to him. Bilbo turned around on his heal and sighed in relief as he caught sight of it just a few steps away.  
  
Gloin swung his axe in front of him, making one spider back away as his brother jumped on it’s back and dug his fighting staff straight through the hard shell of the spider’s back. It hissed before it fell dead.  
  
The hobbit was just reaching for the piece of enchanted gold when suddenly a smaller, whiter spider jumped through a hole in the stump in front of him. It was quite odd-looking, and it’s outside didn’t look as tough as the other ones, which meant that it was probably younger.  
  
The hobbit held his breath and swung up his sword as it squeaked and hissed, before lunging towards it. The spider raised it’s legs, but quickly fell as Bilbo plunged his sword through it’s head, before hacking off one of its legs. He felt a sudden wave of need that this spider need to be killed, as it was one thing that blocked Bilbo from the Ring. The burglar yelled as he stabbed it repeatedly through the chest, before it fell dead.  
  
As Fili fought beside Bofur, just managing to kill another spider, he yelled in surprise as Kili tripped to the ground, his leg grabbed by another spider. “KilI!” The younger nephew flipped up and drew one of Fili’s sword, which his brother had threw to him, through the spider’s head. It jumped up and ran off, before others scrambled towards the dwarf prince.  
  
“Mine” The hobbit seemed to hiss, feeling funny as he sat back to catch his breath. Bilbo glanced at the Ring and raised a hand to cover his mouth, wondering what it would be like if he had lost it. His chest tightened and he felt as if he were to cry, but something else caught his attention. He heard a light sound of feet tapping on wood, as if something were running.  
  
…  
  
Thorin dropped his sword as his attention turned to Mirkwood elves, as they ran to their aid.  
  
~x~  



	15. The Silvan Elves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group are captured by the wood elves, lead by Legolas who just so happens to be King Thranduil's son. A confrontation, a rescue and unspoken words are in this update! Enjoyy!

The dwarves packed together tightly, elbows jabbing into each others sides and huffs of surprise when the elves started checking them over. Weapons and valuable items were flung from the safe keeping from under their heavy coats. Gloin glared up at a particular blond elf. This particular blond elf, is known as Legolas, son of Thranduil the ElvenKing. His looks were quite similar to his fathers, although, there isn’t much to compare when the dwarves hadn’t met the king himself yet. Legolas was tall and quite fair, with striking blue eyes and a sharp jaw. Like almost all elves, his hair was smooth and long, and his face was clean from any facial hair. Dwarves and elves did not have much of a happy relationship between them, and that would last for many years to come. Legolas raised a brow as he drew out a small locket from Gimli’s possessions and stared at the pictures that lay inside.   
  
“Hey! Give it back!” Gloin yelled up at the tall elf, jumping up and down, waving his arms about as he tried to grab his locket back.  
  
“Who is this?” Legolas spoke, furrowing his eyebrows together as he looked at one picture. “Your brother?” Gloin gaped at him, shocked at Legolas’s comment. In his dwarf nature, his face turned deep red with anger. “That is my wife!” He snapped up at the elf, catching Legolas’s attention only for a moment before the young prince looked at the second picture.  
  
“And, this horrid creature? A Goblin Mutant?” The elf cocked his head to the side slightly with a subtle smirk as he caught Gloin’s expression, which was still firm and shocked. “Well, that’s my wee lad, Gimli!” The dwarf barked, his eyes flaming. Legolas raised a brow at the dwarf, to the picture, then back to the dwarf.  
  
A female, red-headed elf returned from the dark shadows of the forest, dragging Kili by the arm. Unlike the other dwarves, he didn’t seem to have such a rough time with the elf. In fact, the young dwarf prince quite admired her. Was it her beauty or bravery? Perhaps both? The brown-haired prince walked over to his brother with a soft frown, searching in his mind for what could be the matter.  
  
The elves spoke in elvish for a moment, and of course none of the dwarves had the slightest idea of what they spoke of. Thorin glanced around, counting the heads of The Company members before he stopped at twelve, not including himself or the grey wizard. Which meant, that the burglar was missing. As soon as Thorin realised this, Bofur grabbed his shoulder and raised both of his eyebrows. “Where’s Bilbo?” The dwarf king bit down on his lip nervously, his eyes frantically searching around for the hobbit, before the blond elf stepped forward from the conversation and drew Thorin’s sword.  
  
“Where did you get this?” Legolas asked, running a smooth hand over the top of the blade, tracing the decorative engravings in the material.  
  
“It was given to me” Thorin said gruffly, looking up at Legolas with a deep frown. His crease stood out more than it usually did, even though it would seem to always remain there, no matter if Thorin was frowning or not. Legolas clenched his jaw before swinging the sword up as if it were lighter than a feather and placed it under Thorin’s chin, just pressing against his beard.  
  
“Not just a thief, but a liar as well” And with this, Legolas swung his sword away from the dwarves and spoke commands in Elvish, telling the guard to lead the dwarves away. Away being, to his father. Thorin’s mind was quite off of the subject of Bilbo once they started moving. His eyes were glued on Legolas’s face when the prince would turn around every now and then to look back at the dwarves. For he knew those eyes.  
  
And from a far, Bilbo stood crouched behind a tree, with his Ring snug around his finger.  
  
~x~  
  
It didn’t take long before the group reached the large gateway of the elves of Mirkwood. It was connected by a narrow bridge to the other side. Leaves were dusted on the sides, blowing softly off the rims and down into the rushing river below. The dwarves were pushed from behind by the elves, towards the large door that had been swung open. On either side, lay two large pillars with chiselled bases.  
  
They stood tall before connecting at the top with a sort of an archway design, decorated heavily with what was carved out to be vines. Bilbo bit his lip sharply as he started to walk quickly on the bridge, noticing the thundering river below. He crouched and placed one hand on his knee as he gathered up his bravery, and started to walk forward. Thank goodness that he was a hobbit, as he treaded softly without anyone noticing his presence. Quickly, he slipped under Legolas’s arm and through the tall gates.  
  
The blond elf paused softly, narrowing his eyes before joining them.  
  
Bilbo instantly ran to the side, stretching out both of his arms by his side as his heart felt as if it were to burst out of his chest. He waited a moment, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness that was this Elf Kingdom. Bilbo paused and after a few minutes, he cautiously walked forward, his eyes finally being adjusted to the sudden change in light. It was dim, but not completely dark. Long, still lights dangled from the high ceilings to form drop-shaped cones.  
  
Looking closer, Bilbo noticed that whatever was the meaning for the light, was flying around inside. He grinned to himself as he recognised them as fireflies, as the insects were popular back at Hobbiton. The walls grew tall and arched into the ceiling, decorated with spirals and lines that swerved into beautiful decorations. The floor was cool and smooth, being a nice change after the rough terrain that Bilbo soon got used to. The air was crisp and all was quiet, except for the echoing footsteps of the elves and the distant thundering of waterfalls.  
  
Around him were all dead ends, except for a stairway that swirled downwards behind a grey wall, deeper into the floor. Bilbo clenched his hands nervously, took a breath and warily walked down the steps. The staircase spiralled down, until it came to and end where a doorway stood. It was made out of a dark-reddish wood, and the handle was carved silver. Looking below the door, light poured in from under it, making Bilbo raise his eyebrow curiously. He pushed open the door, making sure that he closed it lightly without a sound before looking at what was around him. His eyes widened and his mouth gaped open as he took in his surroundings.  
  
Waterfalls poured down from the sides of the stone walls into rivers below. The ceiling stretched higher than any ceiling he had seen before. Lights filled with fireflies hung form the ceiling, giving it it’s golden glow. A river rushed below them, and pathways that formed into bridges connected to doors and more bridges. Large pillars, similar to the ones he had seen before, but much larger, stood high from the ground and held up the rocky ceiling. He looked around in awe, noticing that everything was made mostly from marble, natural rock from the cave itself and wood.  
  
In the centre of this giant cave, stood a large mound of rock from the others. On top of it, perched what looked like a giant set of wood antlers, that poked towards the ceiling with beauty. Squinting eyes, Bilbo noticed that a royal-looking seat was in the centre of this mound, and there sat an elf. Of course, this was no elf, and Bilbo soon figured that out when he noticed the crown atop of his head.  
  
This is where Thranduil comes in. He had long hair, seemingly longer than Legolas’s and was neatly groomed down his back and over his chest. He had thick eyebrows and stunning blue eyes that were wide and alert, quite like a deer itself. He wore a silver robe, connected at the top by a golden brooch. Bilbo took a step forward and froze in his place when the Elf King turned his head quickly in Bilbo’s direction, parting his lips as he expected to be something there. Of course, an elf could not spot Bilbo whilst the Ring lay on his finger. The hobbit relaxed when another elf caught the king’s attention, letting him exhale sharply. His attention, too, was distracted by another.  
  
Just beyond the throne, were the dwarves on a distant bridge. He could hear their groans and snaps from here, and his heart seemed to jump when he spotted Thorin warily looking around him. Something in Bilbo wanted- _needed_ to be by Thorin’s side, no matter what. His mind reminded him of his poisonous words just before, but his heart reminded him to forgive. Whatever he would choose, would needed to be deciphered by Bilbo himself. In the meantime, he would need to make plans on escaping. And fast.  
  
~x~  
  
Thorin glared up at the ElvenKing with pure hatred, but wore a subtle smirk. Only moments ago had they been put into the dungeons below, where the rest of the company struggled behind steel bars that could not be opened without a key, no matter how hard they tried. Thranduil looked down at the dwarf, his expressions blank. He was considered tall amongst the elves, so the height difference between Thranduil and Thorin was quite plentiful. He was perched on a wooden throne seat, where the sides grew tall before sprouting into antlers of their own.  
  
“Some may imagine that a noble quest is at hand” Thranduil began with a sigh, bored, tapping his fingers on top of the armrests of his throne. “A quest to reclaim a homeland and slay a _dragon._ I myself suspect a more prosaic motive. Attempted burglary, perhaps?” The elf rose from his seat and as he spoke slowly, walked down his red-carpeted steps towards Thorin, who stared at him dangerously. “You have found a way in” He whispered as he passed behind Thorin, swerving his neck around as he bent down so that he could look into Thorin’s face. “You seek that which would bestow upon you the right to rule” He pressed his thick eyebrows together and started to walk backwards a few paces, enjoying the lecture on the dwarf.  
  
Thorin, on the other hand, did not feel much enjoyment with this particular conversation. “The Arkenstone. It is precious to you beyond measure. I understand that, you see” With this, the ElvenKing grinned, flashing white teeth down at the dwarf. “There are gems in that mountain that I too desire. White gems of pure starlight. They mean much to my people, and may prove to be worth even more wealth to me” He dipped his head lowly. “I offer you my help” 

Thorin’s smirk grew and he raised a brow, interested in where this was going. “I am listening” He said in a hushed tone, looking Thranduil up and down with hidden disgust.   
  
“I will let you go, if you but return what is mine”  
  
“A favor for a favor” Thorin nodded, turning around on his heel. He looked sharply at the guards that stood on either side of the bridge that connected Thranduil’s “island” to the rest of the cave.  
  
“One King to another” Thranduil called out from behind him, his heart clearly set on the white gems that lay in Erebor, just waiting for his claim. Thorin paused in his steps and cocked his head to the side as he replayed Thranduil’s words in his head. His smile quickly faded and his eyes clouded with memory and hatred. Disgust threw itself from under Thorin’s cover, and prepared to be spat out with words of disgrace.  
  
“I would not trust, _Thranduil_ ” He began, emphasising on his name “-the great King. On his word, Till the end of all days be upon us!” He span around, his eyes blazing with dragon fire as his mind went back to the day where Erebor was in peril. People were screaming. Buildings were destroyed. Yet, Thranduil held off his forces and turned away, leaving Thorin regretting every promise. “You! Lack all honor! We came to you, homeless, starving; seeking your help.” He paced forward, his teeth bared as he spat each word and meant every sentence. “But you turned your back! You, turned away from the suffering of my people and the inferno that destroyed us all!  
  
_“Imrid amrâd ursul! [Die a death of flames]!_ ” Thorin spat. Sharply, and within only just a few steps, Thranduil bent down to face Thorin. His eyebrows were pushed together and his eyes were filled with hatred. “Do not speak to me of dragon fire!” His voice came from a shout to just a were whisper, tilting his head to the side. “I know it’s wrath and ruin”  
  
Suddenly his face changed and he shut his eyes tightly, almost growling as the left side of his face fell into a scar. His eye faded to be blinded and Thorin almost lost his breath when he watched this happen, hidden fear striking through him. “I have faced the great serpents of the North!” He almost roared, his distorted face disappearing into his normal state. He walked back a few paces so that his heels hit the base of the steps that led to his throne. “I warned your grandfather of what his green would summon, but he refused to listen” Thranduil turned his back to Thorin as he began climbing the stairs. Around halfway up, he spoke once more. “You are just like him” And with this, the elf flicked his wrist in the air. On command, the guards walked briskly towards Thorin and grabbed him by his elbows, pulling him away as he struggled and yelled against their grasp.  
  
“Stay here if you will, and rot. A hundred years is a mere blink in a life of an elf. I’m patient” He spoke coldly, his face dull and his eyes back to their dangerous state. Thorin resisted against the guards, who hauled him back, towards the cells.  
  
“I can wait”  
  
~x~

Bilbo peeked around the corner, his eyebrows raised as he heard the soft snoring of elves downstairs. With a brisk nod to himself, he lightly walked down to see a wine cellar. And boy, did Thranduil own a lot of wine. Barrels and shelves, all stacked closely together with bottles of many different colors. Just before the cellar actually seemed to begin, stood a birch-wooden table. Cups and bottles lay toppled over on the surface, with sleeping elves sleeping their job away, occasionally letting out a drunk mumble. Bilbo paused as his eyes caught sight of the keys that hung on top on a hanger on the wall. Ever so quietly, the burglar tip-toed towards it and, without hesitation, grabbed the keys and ran for the dungeons. Of course, he didn’t know exactly where they were at first. With a bit of wondering, you were bound to find a piece of web on the ground or a piece of cutlery lying on the stoney floor. Soon enough, he heard distant groaning and banging of metal just behind a wooden door. The sounds coming from behind it, were sure to be from his dwarf friends.   
  
As he stepped forward, a sound made him hesitate and a faint gasp escaped his lips when the door swung open and an elf walked through. She had long, auburn hair that reached her waist and curled at the edges. Daggers were stacked into what looked like small holders stitched onto her belt. She paused for a second, her ears flicked as Bilbo gasped with surprise. And for a few moments, all Bilbo could hear was the thumping of his own heart in his ears.  
  
All else was silent, before she continued down her path, leaving the door slowly swinging closed behind her. Just before it shut tight, Bilbo slipped through and stepped heavily down the stairs. Before he could remove the ring, the hobbit glanced around the dungeon for any sign of elves. When the cost was clear, he slipped the ring off and came to the first cell he could find.  
  
“I’ll wager the sun in on the rise” Bofur spoke from the silence, his tone sounding a mix of bored and frustrated. “Must be nearly dawn.”  
  
“We’re never gonna reach the mountain, are we?” Bilbo identified the soft, sad voice of Ori amongst the dripping of water from the ceiling. The hobbit took a swift breath and peeked around the corner, holding up keys as he looked into the cell. Thorin’s gaze shifted and something in him sighed in relief at the sight of Bilbo. Bilbo stopped in his tracks, frozen in front of his dwarf.  
  
They shared a quick, silent moment with each other that only lasted just a few seconds.  
  
“Bilbo, I-“ Bilbo’s eyes were hurt and Thorin’s eyes were full of recognition as to what had hurt him. “Not stuck in here you’re not” Bilbo spoke out to the dwarves, quickly flicking his gaze away from Thorin to the lock on his door.  
  
“Bilbo!”  
  
“Ahaha! You see, lad’s? I be tellin’ you he’d return!”  
  
“That was me! Don’t you remember?”  
  
“Master Burglar!”  
  
“Shh, there are guards nearby!” Bilbo called out as he fumbled the keys in his hands before clicking it into place in Thorin’s lock, snapping it open and pulling his door out.

“Bilbo…“  
  
However, the hobbit rushed off to the other cells, heaving the dwarves out as they patted him on the back with gratitude. Fili and Kili burst out of their cells and welcomed Bilbo back with a snug hug, before joining Dwalin, shortly followed by Bombur and the others. “Bilbo-“ Thorin said lowly, trying to catch the hobbit’s attention. Mr.Burglar pressed on, releasing Balin out from his cell before wandering to the front of the group, taking a silent head count.  
  
“Bilbo!” Thorin yelled from the back of the group, silencing them all, including our hobbit. The company turned their attention to their King, confused as to why Thorin had called out to Bilbo. Bilbo bit down on his cheek before his eyes locked with Thorin’s. Thorin parted his lips, as if he were going to speak. And for a second, Bilbo’s chest filled with warmth. Perhaps, he was to say that he was sorry. Say he didn’t mean it. Say… _something_. Anything. Bilbo silently pleaded with his eyes for a word, as words can mean a great deal to someone who needs them.  
  
…  
  
But the dwarf king shut his mouth and looked away, his heart aching as he did  
  
~x~


	16. Down The River

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am back! Yay! Alas the new chapter has arrived but don't kill me for this one ilu all ok. WARNING: FLUFFISH FLUFF (also i recommend Follow You Down to the Red Oak Tree by James Vincent McMorrow because its an amazing bagginshield song)
> 
> The dwarves escape and Bilbo wakes to a change of heart.

But the dwarf king shut his mouth and looked away, his heart aching as he did.  
  
Bilbo furrowed his eyebrows together, his heart dropping as his hopes were wiped away. Fili’s and Kili’s smiles slowly disappeared as they looked from their uncle the the hobbit, hoping to see something. The oldest nephew dipped his head and shook it as he exhaled. Bifur stumbled on his heel and looked towards Bofur, who pressed his mouth in a straight line.  
  
“Alright then” Bilbo said with a brisk nod, before carefully leading the dwarves to where the wine cellar was. Lucky for the hobbit, most of the elves were busy with other matters and the paths were clear from any guards. He lead the way without a word, down the stairs to the wooden room. It smelt heavily of corks, grapes and sawdust. The golden light glowing from the fireflies gave the room a brighter glow than the rest of the Mirkwood Kingdom that Bilbo had discovered, so his eyes burned for a little while once they were in.  
  
“I don’t believe it. We’re in the cellars!” Kili called out to Fili with a confused frown, wondering as to why Bilbo had lead them here. They were sure to be seen!  
  
“You’re supposed to be leading us out! Not further in!” Bofur said to Bilbo in a hushed tone, noticing the lightly-snoring elves lying across the table.  
  
“I know what I’m doing!” Bilbo exclaimed, leading the dwarves to where barrels were stacked on top of each other.  
  
“Shh!” said Dwalin, before waddling after Balin. The dwarves stood next to the barrels, tilting their heads and looking around to see if there was any way they could possibly escape. They saw none, and they looked at Bilbo expectantly.  
  
“Everyone, climb into the barrels, quickly!” Bilbo whispered, nodding towards the barrels that they stood in front of. The dwarves paused, looking at the barrels confused.  
  
“Are you barking mad? They’ll find us for sure!” Dwalin turned to Bilbo, his expression firm and shocked at Bilbo’s claim.  
  
“No, no! They will not! I promise you. Please, you must trust me!” Bilbo pleaded to the dwarves, looking at them with slight frustration. They huffed and mumbled at one another, exclaiming how ridiculous the idea was. Without thinking, the hobbit looked at Thorin, forgetting for a moment what the dwarf had said about him hours before. He tilted his head and silently begged for Thorin to do something. At least this time.  
  
“Do as he says” Thorin said above the others, taking the dwarves by surprise. Bombur was the first to go in, having to be pushed in properly so that he would fit. The wide dwarf jumped in surprise when a dwarf unexpectedly pushed his hand on an area he shouldn’t have.  
  
“Easy, now!”  
  
“Watch where you’re pressing!”  
  
“There ain’t a lot of room!”  
  
Despite the arguing, it didn’t take long for all the dwarves to be packed inside their own barrels, peeking their heads out to look at Bilbo as they waited for something to happen. Luckily for them, Bilbo had noticed a lever when he first came into the room. A lever meant that it must lead to somewhere. And if one were to be quiet enough, you’d be able to hear the soft crashing of water below the wood-planked floor.  
  
“What do we do now?”  
  
“Hold your breath” Bilbo said with a subtle smile, before pulling hard on the lever. It clicked before sinking down to the height of his hips, before locking in it’s place.  
  
“Hold my breath? What do you mean-“  
  
The floor bent down as he did, making the dwarves gasp and yell in surprise when they felt their stomachs sink. The barrels rolled off of each other, before falling down off the wooden planks and into the water below. As the floor began to close up once more, Bilbo looked around for his barrel. Although, he saw none. The hobbit froze in his steps, twirling around as he realised that he had quite forgotten how he could’ve escaped as well as the dwarves. A voice from above made him jump.  
  
“Where is the keeper of the keys?” A strong, female voice called up from above the staircase, followed shortly by the light tapping of footsteps. Bilbo winced and walked around, lightly stamping his foot on the ground as the sounds drew closer. The elves on the table seemed to awake, mumbling in elvish as they woke. Alarmed by the voices, Bilbo’s eyes widened and he stepped a few paces backwards. As he did so, the floor beneath him creaked and he waved his arms as he suddenly became off balance. Expecting to fall on the wooden floor, instead he felt a sudden cool rush of air and cool water surrounding him.  
  
The hobbit burst through the surface, coughing up the water that he had swallowed before clinging onto the nearest barrel he could find. Underneath the wooden floor was a tall chasm, which had a river that flowed underneath it and slithered like a snake towards light. Rocks were stacked up on top of each other on either side, and the walls were mossy, speckled with minerals.  
  
“Well done, Bilbo!” Kili, who was in the barrel that Bilbo was holding on to, nodded as he gave a swift pat on Bilbo’s back. The hobbit simply flicked his wrist to dismiss it, before the dwarves let go of the stone walls and let the river take them out. It didn’t take long before the heavy crashing of water on rocks hinted a waterfall, just a few meters in front of him. Bilbo yelled in surprise when he felt the current tug at his feet, carrying the barrels faster towards the drop.  
  
“Hold on!” Balin called out from the front, before his yells were muffled by the water that rushed over the group as they tumbled down the drop. The company fell down the waterfall, the barrels bobbing up and down as they burst through the surface, their chests heaving for air.  
  
“Shut the gate!” Legolas called out from above, noticing that the dwarves were headed for escape. Just in front of them, lay a stoney arch. Two elf guards stood on top, unaware of the dwarves’ presence until Legolas called out to them. They yelled in elvish, before pulling sharply down on the lever, making the gate underneath the arch squeak as it began to close.  
  
“No!” Thorin yelled hopelessly as his barrel rammed into the gate, which had just shut closed with a clank. He thumped his fists on the metal, desperately trying to break free. Noticing that it was hopeless, the dwarf king rested his forehead on the cool metal and let his hands slide down the bars and hit the rim of the barrel lightly. The elves gathered around them on the banks with their arrows set against their bows, poised gracefully as they prepared to capture The Company.  
  
A whiz of an arrow came from the rushing of the river and stopped as it hit the top of the stoney walls, spinning off before it hit the ground. As this happened, an orc rose from behind one of the elves with a snarl plastered on its’ face.  
  
“Watch out!” Bofur called to the elf, who whipped around in alarm and leapt at the orc, before being thrown into the rushing river. The beast howled into the air, before countless other orcs joined it’s side. Some crawling from the trees and some jumping from behind the gate and up onto the platform above. Bilbo blinked in disbelief and fear as the elves turned their attention to their new visitors. As some of the orcs were busy with the elves, many of them had their eyes set on the dwarves.  
  
“Get over the bridge!”  
  
“Die!”  
  
One leaped at Bilbo and the hobbit was just lucky enough to swing out his sword and run it through its’ chest, hearing its’ loss of breath before it fell heavily into the water. Kili turned around within the commotion and noticed a lever, similar to the one in the cellar, just on top of the bridge. He scrunched up his face and scrambled out of his barrel and onto the stony steps leading to the lever, dodging the swinging of axes of the orcs and stabbing some on the way.  
  
“Kili!” Fili called out in alarm as his brother rushed up the steps and towards the lever. The younger nephew exhaled in relief at the sight of the lever and walked slowly towards it, happy to have it in his reach. Before he could get a firm grip on it, he felt a sudden sharp pain in his thigh. He stopped in his tracks, his heart slowing down for a moment as the world moved in slow motion. Kili furrowed his eyebrows together before looking down at his leg, seeing a black arrow through his leg. The world paused for a moment, before speeding up as the pain spread throughout his body. He groaned and stumbled to his knees, clutching at his wound.  
  
“Kili!” Thorin called after his nephew, alarmed that he was shot.  
  
The same orc that had shot Kili in the first place slowly walked over to the young dwarf with a smirk on his face. It raised its’ bow to its’ chest and pulled back the arrow, before letting it loose. Kili yelled as he prepared to be killed, before the arrow collided with another. Both surprised, Kili and the orc turned around to see the auburn-haired elf that Bilbo had seen earlier, coming to Kili’s rescue. The nephew turned in surprise, his heart racing and the blood drained from his face from his wound. She ducked under a swing before swiftly shooting an arrow through another orc’s chest, making him drop to the ground. As the elf fought off the orcs that crawled over the hills, Kili spotted an opening to grab the lever, and he did with a groan.  
  
The gate squeaked open, hitting the stony walls of under-the-bridge with a clank before the water rushed down a small fall, sending the dwarves down with it. The young dwarf slowly rolled off the edge and into the barrel, before being sent down the fall with the others.  
  
Bilbo burst through the surface, clinging tightly onto Kili’s barrel as the cool water threatened to drag him under. The current was strong and pushed his body hard against the barrel, forcing the breath out of him. His teeth chattered and he was soon unable to feel his hands, clinging on with numb hands tightly for his life. Orcs leapt and attacked the dwarves, who seemed to manage to kill them with a fatal blow.  
  
They rushed down the river, the water splashing overhead and filling up their barrels so that they would occasionally dip under before popping back up. The hobbit coughed madly as he inhaled the water, loosing his grip and accidentally falling into the rushing water. The orcs and dwarves didn’t seem to notice his absence, and Bilbo blindly flailed under the deep water.  
  
He yelled, panicking, knowing he was not the best swimmer. His heart thumped loudly in his ears as he clawed for breath, his chest tightening up as he felt the water fill his lungs. Fighting to breathe, he kicked up from the bottom and jumped through the surface with a splutter. “Thorin!”  
  
The dwarf turned around sharply in his barrel, his eyes widening as he spotted Bilbo a ways away from the group. The hobbit coughed sharply before being dragged back under, his clothes weighing him down to the the bottom. Thorin clenched his jaw and slipped off his jacket, flinging it into his barrel and diving into the rushing water towards Bilbo, struggling to dodge the barrels that bobbed by.  
  
“Uncle!”  
  
“Keep going, lads! They’ll catch up!”  
  
The dwarves were now alarmed at the absence of Thorin and Bilbo, but Dwalin had insisted that they try to get as far away from the orcs as possible. He knew Thorin well, and trusted the dwarf king enough for him to return to them.  
  
Thorin tried hard to push through the water, swiping the current aside. Bilbo struggled underwater, thrashing his head side to side as he tried to see Thorin. The murky waters of the fast river seemed to hide his dwarf from him, and that fact made Bilbo panic. His heart raced faster and faster. As he began to swam for the surface once more, he turned his head before it collided quickly with a slippery rock. He yelled into the water, sharp pain striking through his head before his vision turned black and his body grew limp.  
  
  
~x~  
  
  
“Bilbo!”  
  
The burglar heard muffled cries within the rushing of the water and the wind that seemed to carry the words away like leaves in the breeze. He whined softly and forced his eyes open, the bright sun making him squint as his conscious came back to him.  
  
“Come on, Bilbo… Listen to my voice…”  
  
The sky was clear, blue. Beautiful. And for a moment, he felt as he were back in The Shire. Resting on the soft grass of the hills, under the shade of a tree. Bilbo Baggins seemed to find comfort in trees, as they would shield him from his worries.  
  
“That’s it, Master Baggins.. Come back to me”  
  
The hobbit felt warmth spread between his eyebrows as a figure swooped down to give him a soft kiss. Bilbo’s lungs suddenly shook and he coughed up the water that seemed to be stuck in his throat like a lake itself. His throat burned as he coughed, his lungs stinging as his chest raked for breath. Bilbo shot up, his body shaking as he inhaled deeply, quickly looking around at where he was. Suddenly aware that there was a hand on the side of Bilbo’s face, the hobbit slowly looked up to Thorin, whose face was filled with both relief and concern. They paused for a moment in silence, Bilbo leaning into his touch as his heart sang with love.  
  
“Hi” Thorin smiled weakly, his voice cracking as he spoke, skimming his thumb over Bilbo’s face. The hobbit froze at his movements, and as he prepared to say something about the earlier conversation with Dwalin, he just couldn’t. Bilbo stared at Thorin’s face, taking in every detail he could. Every scar, every wrinkle formed in his face by the past hardships. Every hint of heartbreak that Bilbo knew he had caused. And this caused Bilbo to do something quite unexpected; to Thorin at the least.

He began to cry. Although, it wasn’t a loud cry that the young hobbits back home would cry when they would drop their toy. It was a silent cry. A silent cry that was desperate for comfort, but knowing that he had found one. A sense of loneliness and loss, even though the dwarf king was just there. Bilbo’s chest shook as he buried his face in his hands, tears streaming down his face.   
  
“Oh, no. No, no, Bilbo. Shh..” Thorin whispered to him softly, wrapping his strong arms around Bilbo as he drew him into his lap. The dwarf king slowly placed a hand on the back of Bilbo’s head, stroking his hair soothingly. “I know.” Thorin whispered, turning his head to place a chaste kiss to the side of the hobbit’s head. Bilbo removed his hands from his face and wrapped them around Thorin’s broad frame, burying his face into the dwarf’s shoulder. He cried for a little while, starting to slow down once Thorin began to rock him back and forth. Bilbo’s breathing calmed and his tears dried on his face, his eyes heavy with exhaustion. “I know, I know… I’m so sorry” Thorin hummed to him, making Bilbo wince for only just a moment as he thought of Thorin’s poisonous words. The hobbit didn’t know if Thorin really meant what he had said, but somehow, he forgave him. It might've been that Bilbo knew that Thorin needed a burglar, and it was his duty to stay and finish the job.  
  
...  
  
But perhaps it was because that love is a greater force than all hardship. You just need to know where to find it.  
  
~x~


	17. The Bowman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo and Thorin share a moment, they have conversation with a lake-man and for once in a long while, the dwarves finally get a clear view of The Lonely Mountain. 
> 
> NOTE: Gonna try and get the next one up tomorrow or the day after because I just hit 800 followers on tumblr! I don't even understand why you guys are following this trash blog but just so you know, I love every single one of you <3

Bilbo woke from his sleep, struggling to force his eyes open as they threatened to close again. A bird had woken him, calling from a neighbouring tree, singing into the crisp air. The hobbit groaned as he adjusted his position, his neck stiff from lying on his elbow. He shifted backwards slightly, feeling a strong, warm body pressed against his. His heart froze as he heard the distinct low snoring of Thorin, and his heavy scent of tobacco and grass. Bilbo bit down on his lip before he turned on his shoulder so that he was facing the dwarf king. The burglar paused as he caught sight of Thorin sleeping and smiled to himself. Thorin had his lips parted and his eyebrows were slightly lifted as his chest rose and fell in a calming pace. He looked quite peaceful, sleeping in the golden light. The hobbit smiled and shyly pressed a small kiss to Thorin’s lips, afraid to wake him but needed to feel Thorin’s skin on his.  
  
“Mmmm…” Thorin hummed from his sleep, smiling into the kiss. Bilbo drew away from the kiss partly, before Thorin grabbed his wrist for another kiss.  
  
“Time to wake up, sleepy head” Bilbo chuckled in a hushed tone as Thorin opened his eyes once they ended their kiss. Thorin grinned and placed a warm hand to Bilbo’s face, before he propped himself up on his elbows to stand up. “I do believe we’ve lost the group” Thorin said, almost to himself as he looked around.  
  
They lay just off the riverbed, crouched under a bush. Luckily, it had protected them from the orc filth and they had managed to avoid an attack. Even though Bilbo quite liked the idea of it being just the two of them, he knew that time was running out and they should be on the lookout for the dwarves.  
  
The hobbit stood up and looked around, rubbing his elbow as it ached from the weight of his head. Bilbo slowly nodded and off they went, slipping over moss-covered rocks and crawling over large boulders that stood on their way. They followed where the river was going, as the barrels would’ve carried the dwarves farther down than up, as going up would be most difficult without any paddles.  
  
Even though they were looking for the dwarves, Bilbo and Thorin seemed to take their time, enjoying each others company.  
  
They laughed and nudged each other playfully, chasing each other about. The dwarf looked back as he ran away from Bilbo with a smile, surprised to see how fast Bilbo had caught up to him. Moments after, the hobbit leaped at the dwarf king and wrapped his arms around his torso, tackling him to the ground playfully.   
  
The grass ruffled beneath them as Thorin rolled over so that he was on top of Bilbo. The hobbit laughed, his face turning red with embarrassment as he looked up at him, his breath quick as he needed air. Thorin looked down at Bilbo lovingly, his grin fading into a soft smile as he gently stroked his hand against Bilbo’s cheek. The hobbit slowed his breathing and tilted his head into his touch, closing his eyes as he felt the warmth from Thorin’s fingers spread across his face.  
  
“I do believe I’m in love with you” Thorin dwarf cooed as he shook his head, before leaning down to press his forehead against Bilbo’s. The burglar seemed to stop breathing entirely, his body frozen with shock as he heard the word _love_. Never in his life back at Hobbiton had he thought of being loved in such a way that Thorin loved him. And never had he thought that Bilbo would love Thorin in such a way that he did. Mr.Baggins simply smiled up at his dwarf, before slipping from under him. “Then I do believe I have good news for you, _my king_ ” Bilbo blinked up at Thorin, backing away from his forehead before resting his chin on Thorin’s shoulder so that his mouth was next to his ear. “The feeling is mutual” The hobbit said with a wide grin.  
  
Thorin’s eyebrows lifted in surprise and before the dwarf could say anything more, Bilbo stood up quickly and ran off. The dwarf king chuckled deeply before chasing after him, his face warm with blush.  
  
~x~  
  
It was strange to Bilbo. I mean, how love could change such a person as Thorin as quick as it did. He seemed at his happiest state, his laughter ringing in Bilbo’s ears. When the hobbit had first met Thorin, he had seen him as a stubborn dwarf who needed to find some sort of happiness in his life. But, that was months ago. Months, yet it felt like Bilbo had known Thorin forever. Bilbo smiled to himself as he walked alongside Thorin, humming softly to himself as he stepped over the pebbles that lay along the edge of the river.  
  
“Master Baggins, look” Thorin placed a large hand on Bilbo’s chest, stopping him from walking any further, pointing just ahead of them.  
  
A little way away stood the dwarves themselves, crouched on the ground as they shook out their boots. The hobbit smiled in relief as he realised that they must’ve been asleep for only a few hours. There were no signs of orcs, and Bilbo thought that they had managed to sneak by them as they looked for their dwarf friends. But the thought was unsettling, as it meant that they wouldn’t be too far behind. The two jogged over to The Company, welcomed by the open arms of the merry dwarves.  
  
Kili grinned weakly as he caught sight of Bilbo, watching as Fili ran over to pat him on the back playfully. The hobbit smiled at Fili, before catching sight of Kili’s face. His skin had gone pail, his eyes bloodshot at the corners. He was leaning on one leg, trying not to put pressure on his injured leg. Bilbo pressed his lips together as he approached the younger nephew, his eyes full of concern.  
  
“You’re leg..” Bilbo began, signalling to his wound. Kili’s smile faded for a moment as he looked down, trying to suppress a groan as he tried to move it.  
  
“I’m fine, it’s nothing” Kili nodded, before sitting down on one of the large boulders. Fili walked over to his brothers side, placing a hand on the small of his back. “Kili’s wounded” He called out to his uncle, who turned on his heel to look down at Kili.  
  
“We have an orc pack on our tails. We haven’t the time to-“  
  
“Uncle…” Fili interrupted, gazing up at Thorin, silently pleading. Thorin paused momentarily, looking from Fili to Kili repeatedly, trying to figure out what he was to do.  
  
“Bind his leg. You have two minutes” He said, turning on his heel as he looked up the river, aware of any possible orcs coming their way. Bilbo sighed to himself, noticing that the “happy” Thorin that he had known only moments before had been replaced with… well, how Thorin usually comes off as. Serious and stubborn. The golden haired dwarf ripped off a piece of fabric that was his sleeve, before wrapping it tightly around Kili’s leg. The brown-haired nephew winced in pain as pain struck through his body.  
  
Before Fili could finish, however, they heard a faint gasp coming from Ori. The group turned to the young dwarf, whose eyes were large with fear. Kili followed Ori’s gaze and quickly raised a rock, prepared to throw it at what had taken them by surprise.  
  
Bilbo followed their gaze to see a figure in front of the sun, his face covered by the gleam of light that the sun gave off. The figure quickly shot an arrow at the rock, knocking it out of Kili’s hand before it dropped to the floor with a clank. The figure shifted on his feet, out of the gleam of the sun before he raised his bow once more, aiming it at the dwarves.  
  
It was a man, from what Bilbo could tell. He had a long, brown cloak that hung over his shoulders and down to his ankles, the sleeves rimmed with fur. Underneath this coat were several layers of thick clothing, suggesting that wherever he came from was quite cold. And considering that the air around them now was quite far from warm, Bilbo guessed that he lived around this area. He had thin gloves and heavy boots which were worn out from age, ripped and stretched out. He had quite an angular face, with slightly sharp cheekbones and wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. He had a beard, which wasn’t quite like the dwarves- as it was trimmed short and also had a slim moustache under his nose. His eyebrows were thick and his dark hair was long, just going past his shoulders. His eyes were alert and mysterious, his face showing no emotion.  
  
“Do it again and you’re dead” He threatened dangerously, pulling his bow further as he looked around at the dwarves. Bilbo nodded slowly, raising his hands up to show the man that they meant now harm. Balin looked from the man to Bilbo, and lifted his hands up as well. After a bit of reluctance, the dwarves had dropped their weapons and raised up their hands, not wanting to create any unwanted conflict.  
  
“Excuse me” Balin began, walking forward just a few steps forward, his hands slightly up. “but um… you’re from Lake-town, if I’m not mistaken” The older dwarf said, recognising the style of clothing. “That barge over there… it wouldn’t be available for hire by any chance?” He asked kindly, nodding towards the boat that stood tied to the side of the river. The man dropped his bow with a frown and walked a little way off, to where the long boat was. He walked over to it, noticing that barrels had been collected at the back of his boat, pushed against it by the current. He heaved them over to the shore, before he began packing them onto his wooden barge.  
  
“What makes you think I would help you?” The man asked under his breath as he heaved more of the barrels into the boat.  
  
“Those boots have seen better days, as has that coat” Balin said cooly, resting his hands on his hips with a knowing look towards the man. He stopped in his step, before continuing with the barrels. “And, um, no doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed?” The older dwarf continued with a smile. “How many bairns?”  
  
“A boy and two girls”  
  
“And your wife. I imagine, she’s a beauty?” Balin asked with a wide smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners. The man stopped at this and looked from the second last barrel to the lake in the distance. “Aye” He answered quickly, making Balin smile even wider. “She was”  
  
Bilbo quickly pressed his mouth together in a straight line and felt his chest become full with sympathy. He himself never lost a wife, as he had never thought of having one. But loss? Mr.Baggins no longer had his parents, and that was something that happened a long time ago. The hobbit turned to the older dwarf and watched his face fall to a surprised frown.  
  
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-“  
  
“Oh come on, now. Enough with the niceties” Dwalin huffed from behind the group with his arms crossed over his chest.  
  
“Your hurry?” The man asked, cocking his head to the side as he loaded the last barrel onto his barge.  
  
“What’s it to you?” The dwarf spat bitterly, raising a dark eyebrow at him.  
  
“For starters, I would like to know who you are” He stated simply, resting his arm on the side of his boat, before easily stepping off his boat and onto the wet ground below. “And what you are doing in these parts” Balin stepped forward again, being the only person of the company who had attempted to speak with the man.  
  
“We are simply just merchants from the Blue Mountains, dear sir. On our way to see our kin in the Iron Hills is all” He said innocently, running a thick finger through his white beard.  
  
“Simple merchants? I know where these barrels come from” Bard nodded behind him towards his boat, raising an eyebrow.  
  
“What of it?” Thorin answered from next to Dwalin, his face stiff.  
  
“I do not know what business you had with the elves, but by judging by these-“ The man began, walking back to the barrels and running his gloved-hands over the scrapes by the arrows on the sides of the barrels. “It didn’t end well”  
  
“We need food, supplies and weapons. Can you help us?” Fili called out from next to Bilbo, with one arm supporting Kili as he shivered beneath his brothers’ grasp.  
  
“No one enters Lake-town but by the lead of the master. His wealth, mind you, comes from the trade with the Woodland realm. To see you in irons, if you risked the wrath of King Thranduil, would most please him” The man untied the thick rope from the side of the boat and threw it to Balin, walking about as he made sure the barge was ready to leave. Thorin walked heavily towards Balin and nudged his shoulder, nodding his head towards the boat. The old dwarf glanced at Thorin, exasperated, before turning back to the man.

“I’ll wager there are ways to enter that town unseen”  
  
The man stopped his boat with a subtle smirk. “Aye. But for that, you would need a smuggler” He said, wrapping some excess rope around one of the poles on the side of his barge.  
  
“And for that, we would pay double” Balin walked over to the man, dipping his head as he spoke lowly to him. Bilbo tapped his fingers on his thighs as he waited for the man’s reply, silently praying that he would agree. He stopped for a moment, and looked at the members of the company suspiciously. From Thorin, to Dwalin, to Balin and then to Bilbo. The burglar looked into his eyes mysteriously, blinking as he awkwardly shifted on one leg.  
  
“Come on, then” The man said roughly, flicking his hand to signal the dwarves aboard. The Company sighed in relief under their breaths before piling aboard, Bilbo pressing a land to the small of Kili’s back as he helped the wounded prince on. The hobbit slowly walked over to the man once they drifted away from the shore, slowly making their way into the fog and in the middle of the lake.  
  
“What is a hobbit doing with dwarves, might I ask?” The man asked Bilbo as he placed both hands on a long slab of wood, which seemed to control the direction in which the boat was headed.  
  
“It’s… It’s sort of a long story” Bilbo said simply, rubbing his arms as the cool air rushed around them.  
  
“I see”  
  
“I’m Bilbo Baggins, by the way. You?” The hobbit felt the need to introduce himself, as to be polite. Manners were heavily taught back in Bag End. Even though he had spent almost a year with these dwarves, his manners had stayed with him. Thank goodness for that.  
  
“Bard” He nodded to Bilbo, before looking ahead of them once more.  
  
They drifted on the river for quite a while longer, and Bilbo had set himself down on the edge of the boat, his legs hanging over the side as he dipped his toes into the freezing water, shivering as goosebumps trailed up his legs. The fog was heavy, making his eyes water as it hung over the water as a massive cloud. The dwarves talked quietly amongst themselves for once, huddled together as they spoke of their plans once they got to Laketown and beyond.  
  
The burglar paused as he looked down at his reflection, not realising just how much he had changed. His face was positively filthy, with small cuts here. His hair was dark from the river ‘adventure’ just hours before. He had dark circles under his eyes and his face looked rougher. Older. Changed.  
  
“You alright, lad?” Bofur said from next to him, resting his arms on the side of the barge as he looked down at Bilbo’s reflection. “You look a wee ill. Are yer’ seasick or?”  
  
“Oh, no no. I’m just.. thinking” Bilbo shrugged, looking from his reflection to Bofur with a weak smile.  
  
“All you hobbit’s seem to do is think” Bofur said with a charming smile, wrinkling his nose as he flashed white teeth.  
  
“It seems so, huh?” Bilbo shrugged with a smile, before turning to the dwarves as Kili had called out from the silence.  
  
“Watch out!” The company turned their attention to the large pillars of rock that sprouted from the lake, jutting out in strange shapes, towering high above them. Chunks of ice floated in the water, knocking against the rocks and the boat.  
  
“What do you think you’re trying to do? Drown us?” Gloin glared at Bard with a deep frown, pressing his eyebrows together to add the affect of just how suspicious he thought him to be.  
  
“I was born and bred on these waters, Master Dwarf. If I felt the urge to drown you, I would not choose to do it here” Bard stated, pushing the slab to the right as the boat turned away from a nearing pillar, just missing it.  
  
“Oh, I’ve had enough of this lippy lake-man. I say we throw him over and just be done with it”  
  
“Oh, Bard. His name’s Bard” Bilbo rolled his eyes before turning to the stubborn dwarf with his face hot. He knew that deep inside Dwalin was a good dwarf, but he just wished that his goodness wasn’t so covered by his arrogance.  
  
“How do you know?”  
  
“Uh, I asked him”  
  
“I do not care what he calls himself. I don’t like him” Dwalin huffed, his eyes flaming.  
  
“You don’t have to like him, any of us. We simply need to pay him. Come on, now, lads. Turn out yer’ pockets” The dwarves glanced reluctantly at each other, before rummaging through their pockets for coins. Balin counted them all as each dwarf placed their part on the wooden-planked floor. “Hmm.. There seems to be a wee issue. We’re ten coins short” Balin looked up from the ground and looked at Gloin with an eyebrow raised. The dwarves around him followed his gaze and looked knowingly at him.  
  
“Gloin, come on” Thorin nodded towards the red-headed dwarf. Gloin looked up at them, his face shocked at the assumption.  
  
“Don’t look to me. I’ve been bled dry by this venture. And what have I seen for my investment? Naught but grief and misery and-“ Oin covered his brother’s mouth with a large hand, his gaze fixed on the horizon. During Gloin’s ‘speech’, the fog had cleared in the distance and had revealed something quite spectacular for one to see. Even Bilbo seemed mesmerised.  
  
There, a way away form the edge of the lake, stood a mountain that jutted out from the terrain. The sky was purple, pink and orange as the sun began to lower from the sky. Judging by where it was, it was about 6’o clock. The sky seemed to paint its colors over the Mountain, making it seem to glow with promise. And this single mountain, was just what their journey was all for.  
  
“Bless my beard” Gloin whispered from the group, his eyes wide with awe. “Take it! Take all of it!”  
  
“The Lonely Mountain” Nori nudged Dori and Ori with a smile, patting Ori on the back.  
  
 Bard suddenly walked down from the platform where he steered the boat and walked towards the company, distracting them from the sight of the Mountain.  
  
“The money, quick. Give it to me!” Bard looked down at the dwarves, his voice desperate as his face was wide with alarm. Bilbo shifted uncomfortably between the dwarves, squished between their wide shoulders.  
  
“We will play you when we receive our provisions, but not before” Thorin ticked his head to the side as he glared at Bard.  
  
“If you value your freedom, you must do what I say. Look, there are guards ahead” Bard lowered his voice as the boat drifted even closer within the light fog. The dwarves and hobbit turned to face where Bard motioned to. In front of them, lying on the horizon, stood a thick town floating on top of the dark water. Seagulls cooed from above and people buzzed through the narrow walkways and alleys. The houses were mostly made out of dark wood and lines that held bundles of clothes were strung from one house to the other. Slim boats, similar to Bard’s, paddled through small pathways throughout the town, trading with the lake-men. A large tower stood out from all of them in the middle, where Bilbo guessed the Master of the town lived. Just beyond that tower stood another one with a large golden bell that stood still, looking as if it were just waiting to be rung.  
  
In front of the town lay a large archway from one side of the walkway to the other. Below the archway was a sliver of water that boats would pass through to travel throughout the town. On each side of the arch stood men that weren’t dressed in usual armour that guards were supposed to be dressed in, but rags and heavy clothing. Bilbo gulped nervously as the boat neared the town, turning to Bard as he searched his face for a sign of a plan. Balin nodded and quickly handed the coins to him, who stuffed them in a large pocket before he looked back to the dwarves.  
  
Bilbo looked amongst them, slightly panicking as they drew closer to the guards. Not seeing any sign of any of the dwarves asking Bard for assistance, the hobbit decided that it would be for him to ask.  
  
…  
  
“Alright. What are we to do?”  
  
~x~


	18. Warm Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin makes a promise and Bofur's timing really isn't the best.
> 
> note: NSFW NSFW NSFW 
> 
> because this is a 'celebration chapter', I made it longer + updated it quicker + added some good ol' smut. 
> 
> i've changed the rating and for those of you who don't like reading those things, it's in the later part of this chapter. nothing really happens but just in case any of you are uncomfortable reading things like that, this is my warning. 
> 
> plus this is one of my first "steamy" written scenes so.. shshhh, just work with me

“Kili!” Fili yelled through the silence of the dark night, his eyes wide as he watched his younger brother tumble down the wooden steps.   
  
Some of The Company, including Bilbo, stood in a weapon-house, heaving out weapons to the dwarves downstairs in attempt to get weapons for their journey ahead. Just an hour or two before, Bard had come up with the plan to put the dwarves and hobbit into the barrels, filled with fish. It wasn’t the most sanitary or enjoyable moment of his life, but it had worked none-the-less.  
  
Laketown was seemed to be much larger than it had originally seemed to be and the air was cold and smelt of rotting fish. There were people huddled under poorly-built shacks and they sold clothing, food and material for building. They all seemed to be struggling to put food on the table, and Bard did a generous deed of sharing the fish that he got with a man who watched them unload out of the barrels. The Company, lead by Bard, had snuck up their way into the house- through the toilet. Mind you, Bilbo’s vote wasn’t for the toilet, but they didn’t have much of a choice.  
  
Bard’s house was quite large and roomy, not like Bag End but big enough to sustain the dwarves for a little while. They had discussed plans about when they would venture for the mountain.  
  
Luckily, they weren’t too tight on time. They had traveled quite quickly during the course of the journey and had tomorrow to spare in Laketown before they would have to leave the next day. Bilbo was quite relieved at the news of resting for a day, and he was quite intrigued by the lifestyle of the lake-men.  
  
Once the dwarves found out that Bard held no proper weapons, they had found a slim house that stored swords and axes- perfectly fit for dwarves. The group paused as Kili groaned in pain from the bottom of the staircase, rubbing his head as a handle of a sword had bumped him on the head. The air was quiet for one moment, until they heard distant yelling outside from the lake-men. Bilbo’s eyes widened as he looked to Thorin for comfort, seeing that his eyes were as wide as his.  
  
“Go!” He called out from the group, all carrying weapons as they helped Kili up and rushed for the door. Before they could reach it, however, men burst through with spears in their hands.  
  
“Stop!” They yelled, coming in from the door upstairs as well. The Company were quickly surrounded in the dark, the flames from the torches in some of the guards’ hands flickering in front of them. Bilbo backed away quickly as one of the spears aimed straight for his neck, hitting someone behind him. Fili huffed as Bilbo rammed into him and put two hands on his shoulders to steady him, before he stepped in front of him.  
  
Thorin looked to Bilbo, his eyebrows pushed together in fear. The hobbit gulped before taking a step forward towards him. Before they could do anything else, the guards wrapped their arms around the dwarves and hobbit, beginning to push them out of the house and to some unknown destination. Bilbo yelled in alarm, reaching for Thorin’s hand. The dwarf king winced as one of the guards dug his nails into his arm, before reaching for Bilbo’s hand.  
  
Their hands caught each others for a moment, before Thorin was pulled sharply downstairs, away from Bilbo’s grasp.  
  
“Thorin!”  
  
“Where’s Dori?!”  
  
“Bifur!”  
  
The dwarves were pushed out of the house and lead throughout the town. People yelled and shouted in alarm all around them in the night, lighting torches so that they could see what all the noise was about. They gasped and whispered to one another as they spotted the dwarves and hobbit, nudging one another at Thorin who was at the front of the group.  
  
They bent around corners and down into alleyways before they finally came to a wider platform. It was entirely made out of wood and was connected to the narrow pathways of the streets. Around this platform stood large, stone torches that held fire that made Bilbo squint.  
  
In front of this platform were stairs that lead up to ‘The Master’s Tower’. It was made out of the same materials as most buildings in this town- wood and stone brick. Except there was a tall flag that stood from the top roof and you could just see inside of it- where the walls seemed to be a royal red with paintings heavily decorated in the rooms.  
  
The bed would be gold with silk sheets and he would have enough food to spare. Of course, for The Master, this was no option. Sharing was not his cup of tea. As the group stood in a ring, the people of Laketown began to gather behind them, chatting loudly to one another about the situation.  
  
“What is going on here?!” A loud voice bellowed from in-front of them as the great doors of the tower swung open with a bang. Out waddled a tall, fat man followed by a skinny smaller man.  
  
The fat man, whom Bilbo guess was The Master due to his rich clothing and wine in his hand, looked very untidy. His orange hair was long, about as long as Bard’s. Unlike Bard’s, it was stringy and wet-looking. His facial hair was far from well-groomed and his teeth were crooked, bending left and right. In fact, I do believe you wouldn’t be able to find one straight, clean tooth. He wore many layers of clothing, all made out of rich materials in reds, blues and golds. Not to mention that he was quite wide, making the man next to him look very skinny.  
  
The man looked very different than The Master. His hair was black and ended just above his shoulders. His nose was large and he too had teeth that jutted out in different directions. His eyebrows were thick in some places and thin in the other, stretching across his forehead in one piece. He was skinny and wore one or two layers of black clothing that sort of looked like a cloak.  
  
He wore a look of disgust on his face when he saw Bard, and Bilbo quickly recognised this man as ‘Alfrid’, whom The Company had run into during their entrance to Laketown. Alfrid almost had the dwarves exposed, if it weren’t for Bard’s quick thinking, thank goodness. A man, who held Kili up, spoke up from the silence.  
  
“We caught ‘em stealing weapons, Sire!”  
  
“Ahh! Enemies of the state, hm?” The Master spoke, glaring down at The Company with suspicious eyes. He placed two wide hands on his hips, shifting on his legs as if he were getting tired of standing.  
  
“Just a desperate bunch of mercenaries, if ever there was, Sire.” Alfrid spoke out from next to him, walking next to him looking them up and down.  
  
“Hold your tongue!” Dwalin called out from the group, shaking his shoulders so he got free of one of the guard’s grip. He walked a few steps forward, his eyes dangerous as he looked up at The Master and Alfrid with a grimace. “You do not know to whom you speak! You must see that this is no common criminal that you are facing, here” And with this, the dwarf stepped to the side and waved his hand to the side, signalling Thorin who began to walk through amongst the group.  
  
“This is Thorin. Son of Thrain, son of Thror!”  
  
The lake-men around them gasped and protested amongst each other, waving their hands about as they became deep in conversation. Bilbo gulped as Thorin walked into the middle of the platform, clenching his hands into fists, eyeing up The Master. Alfrid turned to The Master with a surprised expression, before looking back down at Thorin.  
  
“We are the dwarves of Erebor” He spoke lowly at first to silence the crowd, who listened intently to what Thorin had to say. “We have come to reclaim our homeland” This caused another uproar. The towns people murmured amongst themselves, shaking their heads and rubbing their heads in awe.  
  
“I remember this town in the great days of old” Thorin spoke out a little louder this time, turning on his heel to look around at the town and the towns people.  
  
“Fleets of boats lay at harbour, filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake! This was the centre of all trade in the north!” With this, some of the people gathered around them nodded and clapped in agreement, nodding to one another as their minds flashed to before Smaug came.  
  
“I would see those days return. I would relight the great forges of the dwarves!” The people began to cheer, clapping their hands as Thorin spoke. “I would send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!” He flicked his arms up, and the crowd roared with cheering and whooping, some hugging each other in excitement and jumping about as they thought of their towns legacy returning to them.  
  
“Just one moment!” Alfrid spoke out from the cheering, silencing the crowd once more. “Why should we take your word for it, eh? We don’t know nothing about you! Who here can vouch for your character?” He asked, stepping down a step as he glared at Thorin with a smile on his face, thinking that he had outsmarted the dwarf. Thorin merely dipped his head slightly at Alfrid, his gaze dangerous.  
  
“Me” Bilbo rose his hand, slightly becoming uncomfortable when all heads turned to him. He spotted Balin next to him raise his eyebrows and widen his eyes as Bilbo spoke out and began to walk forward. “I’ll vouch for him”  
  
Thorin slowly turned on his heel, looking at our hobbit with nothing but pure love in his eyes. Fili looked knowingly up at Nori, who returned the same gaze. Balin turned to his brother and nudged his elbow with a low chuckle. Ori smiled at the sight and Bofur ruffled his hat before patting Bombur and Bifur on the shoulders. The dwarf king smiled deeply at his burglar, his eyes almost watering with glee.  
  
“Now, I have travelled far with these dwarves through great danger, a-and if Thorin Oakenshield gives his word-” Bilbo paused as his eyes locked with Thorin’s and he shared the same love-filled smile. “Then he will keep it”  
  
Thorin’s smile faded as Bilbo looked at him. Something happened in that very moment. Besides the reassured nods from the dwarves and the towns people, the very air around them seemed to change into warmth. Thorin could not remember feeling such a thing as he felt around Bilbo. And yes, for now he knew it was love, he could not remember feeling such an emotion as strong as love before. It scared him dearly, yes.  
  
But it was also the best thing he had ever felt. And he wished for it to never end- he wished to spend forever with this feeling. Thorin’s eyes widened as he looked at Bilbo with a new light in his eyes. A loud voice from the crowd interrupted this moment. Thorin pressed his mouth in a straight line before he looked up to face the exasperated face of Bard pushing through the crowd.  
  
“Death! That is what you’ll bring upon us!” The lake-man looked dangerously down at Thorin as he approached him, a few meters away from the dwarf. “Dragon-fire and ruin. If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all!” Thorin cocked his head to the side as he prepared for an argument. Bilbo shook his head as he looked up at Bard, wincing as his mind wandered to the danger that Smaug was and what he would have to face just days away.  
  
“You can listen to this naysayer, but I promise you this; if we succeed, all will share the wealth of the mountain! You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!” The crowd cheered once more, nodding at Thorin’s statement as they looked expectantly at Bard.  
  
“All of you! Listen to me, please, you must listen to what I have to say!” Bard yelled from amongst the cheers, waiting until the air was quiet once more. “Have you forgotten what happened to Dale? Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?! And for what purpose, hm? T’was the blind ambition of a Mountain King! Yes, he was so riven by greed that he could not manage to see beyond his own desire!” Thorin took a step forward at this, his eyes flaming and his jaw clenched as he prepared to fight.  
  
“Now, now! Listen here! We must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame! Let us not forget, that it was Girion, Lord of Dale, your ancestor, who failed to kill the beast! What you say to that, hm?!” The Master pointed to Bard, raising his eyebrows as he blinked a few times.  
  
“I’s true, Sire! We all know the story, eh? Arrow after arrow, he shot. Each one missing it’s mark” Alfrid nodded along, adding more to The Master’s statement. He grinned slightly as he spoke to Bard, enjoying mocking him.  
  
“Didn’t manage to get a shot! Now, you see, the blame is to be on you!” Alfrid pointed his finger straight at Bard’s face. The man wrinkled his nose in anger and took a step towards Thorin with pure anger in his dark eyes.  
  
“You have no right” He spoke lowly to Thorin, just above a whisper. “No right to enter that mountain”  
  
Thorin glared up at him, tilting his chin up so that he could look Bard properly in the eye. “I have the only right” He left Bard standing where he was as he turned to The Master, walking forward so that he stood on the bottom step of the short staircase that lead to the tower.  
  
“I speak to The Master of the men of the lake. Will you see the prophecy fulfilled? Good sir, will you share in the great wealth of our people?” Thorin asked up at The Master, his face full of promise as he looked up at the wide man. The Master hesitated, angling his head as if he were about to shake his head and decline.  
  
“What say you?” Thorin persisted, desperate to receive an answer of some sort.  
  
The Master slowly looked around at the crowd, realising the look of need on their faces. Of course, this wasn’t the reason that The Master made his decision. He merely thought of all the riches that _he_ would be able to claim, and smiled widely as he looked back down at Thorin.  
  
“I say unto you… welcome!”  
  
The crowd erupted into cheers, embracing one another as they screamed with delight. There were kisses of joy, pats on the back and fists were pumped into the air at The Master’s decision, which seemed to be the only decent one since his rule. The dwarves exhaled in relief as the guards unleashed their grasp to cheer with the others.  
  
Bilbo looked around with a smile as he noticed how happy the people of Laketown were, and he knew that Thorin would keep his promise. He’s a dwarf of his word. As his gaze came to Bard’s, his smile faded.  
  
Memory, danger and grief were all that Bilbo could see when he looked at the man and fear suddenly came over him. Even though there was a chance that Smaug could’ve died long ago, he still felt as if he were in there… somewhere.  
  
~x~  
  
After the whole commotion, many of the lake-men had offered their houses as a place for the dwarves to stay for the night and tomorrow. Sigrid, one of Bard’s daughters, had insisted that they stay with them, to Bard’s disappointment. But when it came to Sigrid, he would usually loose in the argument. So he stayed in one of the rooms away from the dwarves, with the company of Bain and Tilda, his other children.  
  
Bilbo’s gaze drifted over to Thorin, who sat near a fireplace that was built into one of Bard’s walls. Next two him, sat his nephews. Kili had his head against Thorin’s shoulder, his eyes half-closed and exhausted. Fili sat next to his brother, redoing one of his braids. Thorin had his eyes closed, his face golden from the fire. Bilbo smiled at the sight, watching the tender moment between uncle and nephews. Bilbo thought back to what Fili said to him back in Rivendell- about what happened with their family. He couldn’t believe how much pain they had been through, and what it must feel like to be so close to their home.  
  
While his mind was wondering through his thoughts, Kili had opened his eyes and spotted Bilbo staring straight at Thorin. The younger nephew grinned and nudged Fili in the stomach. Fili frowned at Kili’s move, but followed his brother’s gaze to Bilbo and smiled. He then turned to Kili’s ear and whispered something, causing Kili’s eyes to widen and giggle softly. The hobbit shook his head and turned his attention back to Thorin, who was softly instructing Fili on how to not mess up on Kili's braids this time.  
  
The hobbit sighed and excused himself from the group of dwarves who lay practically on top of each other as they settled down to sleep. Bilbo bit his lip as he hopped over legs, bellies and arms, trying not to step on a finger or trip over their feet. It didn’t take long before Bilbo found a secluded bed room downstairs, away from The Company and the lake-men.  
  
He swung open the door, which revealed quite a small room. It wasn’t too heavily decorated, except for a deep-red rug that lay across the floor. Just behind the rug, against one of the side wooden walls lay a large bed with floor wooden posts. The sheet seemed to be made out of a material similar to silk, but less expensive-feeling and a little bit worn out. In front of him, where another wall should be, stood a balcony that overlooked the town. Bard’s house seemed to be quite tall from what Bilbo now looked, but about half the size of The Master’s tower. Curtains were drawn open at the sides, which were made out of a royal-purple sort of color with fake-gold rims at the edges. Bilbo sighed, taking a breath before he walked towards the balcony, pushing open one of the wooden doors that locked it out. The door swung open with a creak, before the cool wind flicked Bilbo’s hair off of his face.  
  
The hobbit sighed as he rested his arms on the wooden rail that stopped him from going over the edge. The moon hung high in the sky, making the water around the town shine as the ripples echoed through the water. The town was silent, most lights being off and the distant sound of drunk laughter being the only sound besides the wind meeting his ears.  
  
His gaze shifted from the town to the mountain that stood tall in the near-distance in front of them. Clouds drifted slowly past it, making it seem so much taller than he was used to it seeing. It was very large now, and looked as if it would only take less than a day of full-on travel to reach it. Bilbo exhaled shakily as closed his eyes, imagining what he would find in there.  
  
And if he would make it out alive. What the mountain held, the gold and the dragon; he didn’t know which one was more dangerous. He had heard of the dragon-sickness that took over Thorin’s grandfather, and he prayed that it would not happen to Thorin or any of his kin. And the thought of a dragon just waiting for him in that mountain…  
  
“Master Baggins?” Thorin spoke from behind him softly, placing a hand at the small of Bilbo’s back. The hobbit jumped slightly at his touch, opening his eyes at the sight of Thorin, who looked worried. “Are you alright?” The dwarf asked softly, trailing his hand up to rest it on his shoulder. Bilbo nodded stiffly, before looking back up at the mountain.  
  
“It’s quite beautiful” Bilbo said breathlessly as he tried to take in every detail of The Lonely Mountain as he could, admiring it’s strength.  
  
“Quite, yes. It has been many years since I’ve seen it this close” Thorin breathed into the air, smiling at his homeland. They stood in silence for a few moments, admiring the beauty of the night and the glory that the mountain was.  
  
Bilbo slowly looked up at Thorin from under his lashes, his eyes shining as his eyes trailed from Thorin’s eyes to his lips. Bilbo suddenly felt a wave of desperation and need, something boiling deep in him. He quickly wrapped his hand around Thorin’s collar of his undershirt and brought him down so that his lips pressed against Thorin’s. The dwarf king paused as Bilbo started to kiss him, but quickly gave in to him. It was a soft and slow kiss, each making the most of their presence. Something changed quickly, as their kiss started to harden and became more desperate, each breathing heavily for air before kisses, before they came back to it. Bilbo’s hands pressed against Thorin’s face as the dwarf wrapped his hands around Bilbo’s thighs, bringing him up against him. The hobbit wrapped his legs around Thorin’s waist as the dwarf carried them towards the bed.  
  
“Thorin..” Bilbo whispered against his mouth, before he pushed closer into the kiss. “ _Mahal_ …” Thorin huffed as he broke apart the kiss for a moment, letting Bilbo lay back onto the bed gently before he climbed over him, continuing the kiss. The hobbit moaned softly into his mouth as Thorin began trailing kisses from his mouth, across his jawline and down his neck.  
  
“Oh..” Bilbo sighed into the air, cocking his head to the side as he exposed more of his neck. The dwarf hummed against his skin as he pressed warm kisses down his neck and to his collarbone. The hobbit shut his eyes tight, his toes curling as he felt something warm in his lower regions. “Thorin” He spoke more clearly this time, placing a hand on Thorin’s shoulder. The dwarf quickly stopped and rose his head so that his face was above Bilbo’s.  
  
“Are you okay?” The king quickly asked, his eyes switching from desire to concern, placing a hand on his cheek softly. The hobbit nodded shyly, his face warm with blush. “We don’t need to if you don’t want to, okay?” Bilbo gazed up at him with wide eyes, slightly surprised that Thorin seemed to care about him this much. The burglar smiled up at him, raising a hand as he brushed a strand of dark hair from his face. “No- I want to” Bilbo blinked up at him, before pushing up for a kiss. Thorin hesitated as Bilbo kissed him, parting from the kiss for just a moment to make sure. “Are you sure? I don’t want to hurt yo-“  
  
“Thorin. I love you. Please. I want to” Bilbo whispered against his lips as he brought him back in for the kiss. Thorin relaxed as Bilbo reassured him, before he quickened the kiss, begging to kiss his hobbit more passionately.  
  
The dwarf quickly sat up, slipping the thick coat from his shoulders to hit the floor with a thud. The hobbit looked up at him in awe as he noticed that Thorin seemed to look… shy. Why, he had nothing to be shy about. The hobbit watched softly as Thorin unbuttoned one of his undershirts so that he only wore a thin piece of white cloth. With a small hesitation, the dwarf slipped it over his head revealing his chest. Bilbo suppressed a soft gasp as his eyes trailed down from Thorin’s face to his chest, which was tight with muscle.  
  
Dark curls of hair were speckled over his chest, and a line of hair trailed down his belly button to his pants. Bilbo paused before he too sat off, slipping off his jacket and pausing as he began to unbutton his undershirt. He slowly slipped it off his shoulders before he quickly brought his knees up to his chest, covering his stomach. He held his head in shame as his mind wandered back to the teasing by the hobbits back in Hobbiton about his belly. He had no tight muscles and seemed to always have a round stomach.  
  
“Hey…” Thorin whispered, placing a hand under Bilbo’s chin so that their eyes met. “You’re amazing, you know that? I fell in love with you. And, I mean _all_ of you” The dwarf leaned closer so that their kiss continued. Bilbo smiled lovingly into the kiss and let his knees fall out of the way as Thorin pressed him back down onto the bed. The hobbit placed a hand on his face, while he let one trail down below his collar bone.  
  
The dwarf moaned softly before he lowered himself closer so that he trailed his kisses down Bilbo’s neck and collar bone, and lower. The hobbit writhed under his soft grasp, moaning breathlessly into the air as Thorin travelled lower and lower. The dwarf passed his belly button and Bilbo began breathing faster, beads of sweat rolling down his face as the warm feeling began to grow stronger and stronger each second. Just as Thorin got just below his stomach, the two heard a bump from upstairs. They stopped and shot up in alarm, breathing quickly as their eyes were wide.  
  
“Where’s Thorin?” Dwalin huffed, his tone of voice sounded exhausted.  
  
“Hmm.. he said he was going to check if all the doors were closed so that Kili wouldn’t get too cold” Fili called back to Dwalin sleepily.  
  
“Well, he’s not back yet, hm?”  
  
“I’ll go look for him” Bofur called out from above. There was silence for a few seconds before there were footsteps that seemed to become louder and louder as Bofur walked down the staircase and towards the rooms in search of Thorin. The hobbit’s heart raced as he looked at Thorin with wide eyes. The dwarf looked right back at him, hearing his own heartbeat in his ears.  
  
“I-I’ll go out there! Yes, I’ll hide. Quick!” Bilbo nodded, slipping on his undershirt, grabbing his coat as he ran out towards the balcony hiding behind one of the doors as Thorin reluctantly closed it and reached for his undershirt, slipping it on. As he was reaching for his coat, the door handle clicked and the door creaked open. The dwarf king quickly put his hands on the handle and brought it closer towards him so that it seemed as if he were merely shutting it to keep out the cold.  
  
“Oh, Thorin! There yer’ are! The boys were wondering where you were off to-“ Bofur spoke quickly before he paused in his sentence, eyeing Thorin up and down. “Er, why aren’t you wearing your coat or.. other shirts, Thorin?” Bofur ticked his head to the side in confusion.  
  
“I, um… was just-“  
  
“Actually, I’d rather not know. I’ll tell ‘em that yer’ fine” Bofur flicked his wrist before quickly closing the door and walking back upstairs. The dwarf king paused, his face red with embarrassment before he clicked open the door and lead Bilbo back into the room.  
  
“That was a close one, Thorin” Bilbo nodded to himself, with a low chuckle. The dwarf smiled down at him and leaned down, closing his eyes for a kiss. Bilbo smiled softly and leaned forward, expecting to feel Thorin’s lips on his.  
  
The dwarf king turned his neck and placed a soft kiss on Bilbo’s cheek lovingly, before turning on his heel to slip back on his shirts and coat.  
  
“We’d better get back to them. Don’t want them to start talking” Thorin laughed awkwardly, opening the door so that Bilbo could walk back upstairs.  
  
The hobbit grinned up at him and as they walked up the stairs, quickly flattened his hair down so it looked more so that they weren’t up to anything. Luckily most of the dwarves were fast asleep by the time they entered the main room where they all slept. Bilbo sighed with relief before he hopped over feet, arms and legs before snuggling between Bombur and Ori quietly. The younger dwarf snuggled closer to Bilbo, a small smile painted on his face as he felt the warm presence of Bilbo next to him in his sleep. The hobbit smiled at Ori before he turned on his side to face Thorin, who had settled himself between Kili and Fili.  
  
Thorin smiled a shy smile before he placed a hand on his heart before turning on his shoulder, facing his nephews as he let himself fall asleep.  
  
…  
  
Bilbo looked up at the ceiling, probably grinning like a fool as he placed a hand over his own heart, before closing his eyes.  
  
~x~


	19. Yes. I will.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hilda's shop, a dinner with the Master and the biggest decision of Bilbo's life.

~x~  
  
“Wow! Come, look at this!” Bilbo tightened his grasp on Thorin’s hand as he ran over to one of the stalls that were selling wood carvings. He grinned as he pulled Thorin along with him to the stand, looking over the pieces of carved wood closely. As they had an extra day in Laketown, Bilbo had insisted to take Thorin with him and explore what the lake men sold. Of course, the dwarf had tried to talk Bilbo out of it and say that they should really be planning for what they would do when they reached the mountain, but Bilbo can be very persuasive. He giggled, before he rushed forward down the alley to look at the other stalls.  
  
“Bilbo-“ Thorin chuckled deeply as the hobbit quickened his pace, making Thorin feel as if he were to trip over something. The streets were buzzing with excitement after what had happened last night in the town’s square, and the two would get large grins or a happy remark from a lake man every now and then. Bilbo wasn’t quite used to all the attention, and his mind would occasionally wander to what Bard had said about ruin. The last thing he wished was for others to get hurt. Hopefully it would not come to that, but he trusted Thorin with his life by now. And that’s enough to make up Bilbo’s mind. As Bilbo would gaze at the wonders of the town, Thorin would gaze at the hobbit with love in his eyes. Seeing Bilbo as happy as he was, seemed to be such a gift.  
  
Bilbo stopped at another stall, this time keeping his hands tied behind his back. Thorin looked at him curiously, before looking down at the stand in front of them. His eyebrows raised slightly as he saw what it was. Multiple pairs of rings lay on top of a wide piece of cloth on top of the stand, each with their own unique design. Bilbo smiled gently down at them, placing his hands on the edge of the stand as he bent down to look closely at them. Even though they were all beautifully made, Bilbo’s eyes seemed to be transfixed on just one pair. It wasn’t anything fancy, that’s for sure. In fact, it was the simplest of all of them.  
  
It was quite thin in width and was made out of solid silver that sparkled if you held it up in the right angle under the light. Inside, the ring was carved to have vines that intertwined with each other inside, wrapping around the length of the ring. The vines spiralled and turned in many directions, giving the rings great beauty. In the middle lay a small piece of some sort of green gem, which was about half the size of a pea. Even though it was small, it shone in the light and seemed as if it held secrets within it. Even though the pair of rings were made together, each one was slightly different from the other. For example, the second ring’s vines curled in more and had decorations inside of the ring as well.  
  
“They’re quite lovely. Don’t you think so?” Bilbo looked up at Thorin shyly, his face slightly flushed as he recognised them as rings that a couple would wear when they got wed. Thorin looked down at Bilbo and hesitated before he spoke, noticing a hint of longing in the hobbit’s eyes.  
  
“Yes, they are. By the looks of it, they could’ve been dwarf-made, as the markings here are written in khuzdul” Thorin smiled at Bilbo before he pointed to the tiny inscriptions inside of both of the rings.  
  
“What do they say?” asked Bilbo, wonder filling his mind as he squinted his eyes to read the tiny words. Thorin paused for a moment, before picking up both rings and holding them to his eyes as he read over them.  
  
“My heart is yours.  
  
Your heart is mine.  
  
One of the same heart.  
  
I’ll love ’til time ends.  
  
If you’ll take me, I shall call you my love.  
  
And if I’ll take you, you shall came me same.  
  
I will and always will.”  
  
Thorin recited the common words of dwarven marriage, which he would attend to annually a few times each year. He looked down at Bilbo as he held both of the rings on his palm, and the hobbit looked shyly back up at him. The air soon became tense with want- need. “Thorin-“  
  
“Oh, hullo! What can I do for you two?” A lady spoke from the silence, retying an apron that was tied around her waist before approaching the dwarf and hobbit. She wore similar clothes to the other ladies in Laketown- a worn out dress with a coat to protect them from the cold. Her brown hair was wavy and long, just reaching down to her hips. Her eyes were tired, but warm.  
  
“Oh, we were just thinking that this is truly amazing” The hobbit whispered with a smile, before looking up at the lady. “Where on earth did you get it?” The lady smiled, wrinkles forming at the corners of her eyes as she did.  
  
“Well, a good while back, my mother had the luck to visit Dale before…” She trailed off as he looked to Thorin, pressing her mouth together in a straight line, clearing her throat before she continued. “While she was visiting, she happened across these two rings! Quite amazing, huh? She gave them to me to sell, but they’ve never managed to be bought” She nodded at the bear, placing her hands on her hips. “If you two are looking for wedding rings, I have a whole set-” She grinned happily, preparing to take a tray from the back of her stall. Bilbo’s face soon became red with blush and the dwarf quickly cleared his throat and shaking his head nervously.  
  
“Uh, no, no. We were… we just stumbled apon them is all” Thorin laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck as the air was tense once more. The lady stood back up and narrowed her eyes at Bilbo and Thorin before she nodded to herself. “Alright, then. Do make sure you come back if you change your mind” She winked at Bilbo and Thorin.  
  
Bilbo turned to Thorin who quickly smiled awkwardly, nodding before they turned back to her. “Might I ask what is your name?” Bilbo asked.  
  
“Hilda” She smiled, rubbing her hands together to warm herself up. The air was cooler today, and freezing winds are not particularly welcomed in this cold weather.  
  
“Thank you very much, Hilda. I do hope you have a grand day!” And off they went. The two spent a lot of their time exploring in stores, admiring the craftsmanship and the skill of the lake-men. There were vegetables and breads sold. Of course, the most popular food that would sell would be fish, and lots of it. In fact, it seemed as if someone sold fish at every stall they visited. There were jewellers, bakers and artists. Even though Laketown was far from being wealthy, they made up for it by their community.  
  
~x~  
  
“Alright, lads. My turn!” Dori laughed, hopping off a crate and swinging out his sword. The dwarves chuckled and nudged each other, some flipping coins and some grinning as they prepared to watch another dwarf take a swing at the hobbit. Bilbo panted heavily, looking up at Dori with exhaustion. After the two had returned from the main part of town, the dwarves had taken turns duelling with Mr.Baggins. It had been quite fun to begin with, but now he felt truly exhausted, although with pride. He had managed to beat Fili, Kili, Ori and Ori.  
  
“Surely, you must be joking” Bilbo whined softly, catching his breath. He was bent over, both hands on each knee, sweat beads rolling off his forehead and dropping on the ground with light taps. The hobbit pushed himself up, glaring up at Dori with annoyance. The dwarf smiled down at him. A cocky lad, he was. Bilbo clenched his jaw and tightened his grip on Sting. It was hard to move under the large cloak that Bilbo was offered from one of the lakemen, and he was still sweating despite the freezing temperature. “C’mon, Bilbo! Kick that smug grin off his face!” Nori, Dori’s brother, teased from the sidelines.  
  
Dori stared back at Nori with annoyance, before turning back to Bilbo. No words were exchanged before Dori leapt forward, his sword aimed straight for the hobbit. Bilbo’s heart filled with adrenaline as he dodged to the side, his cheek just catching the side of the sword. Bilbo quickly placed two fingers to the cut along his cheekbone, wincing as the sting kicked in. He stared at his fingers, recognising the deep red color of blood. The hobbit flicked his eyes from his hand towards the older dwarf, who was racing towards him.  
  
They charged forward, swords clashing in the duel. The dwarves hollered from the side lines, pumping their fists into the air as they watched them fight. Dori swung his right leg suddenly, kicking Bilbo straight in the shin. His leg gave way, making him tumble to the floor with a soft groan. Dori smiled and turned to face his kin, jumping up and down as he claimed victory.  
  
The Company flipped some more coins as each dwarf either lost or won a bet. Bilbo groaned as he propped himself on his elbows, pushing himself up and wrapped an arm around Dori’s leg, pulling him down to the ground. The dwarf spun on his back to look up at Bilbo. The hobbit playfully thrusted his sword towards the ground, which Dori quickly blocked with his sword. The metals screeched as they scraped against each other, shaking as the pressure built up. Bilbo yelled in surprise as Dori pushed up and rolled Bilbo under him. The dwarf’s eyes were light with hidden amusement.

“‘Wonder where Thorin is?” He teased knowingly. Bilbo’s arms went weak for a second as his mind went back to the previous night. His heart thumped loudly in his ears as he remembered every line, muscle and hair on Thorin’s upper body. He felt it.. below, again. Not as strong, but something stirred inside him as he remembered the deep lust in Thorin’s eyes. How they shone a magnificent blue in the heat of the moment. They were so close…  
  
Dori kicked the sword out of Bilbo’s hand, Sting landing a little while away. Quickly, the older dwarf placed the tip of his sword under the hobbit’s chin, smiling with triumph.  
  
“Easy going, laddie. It was close”  
  
Bilbo smiled up at him in embarrassment as Dori put his sword back in the sheath and helped the burglar up. As the dwarves congratulated Dori, Fili and Kili slipped away from the group to greet Mr.Baggins.  
  
“Bilbo, may I ask a wee something?” Fili cocked his head to the side, his golden locks swishing to the side as he did. His eyes were full of mischief, as they often were and his younger brother held the same, knowing look. The hobbit hesitated before he answered, squinting his eyes as he suspected something. Fili grinned before Bilbo could answer, and continued anyway. “Do you like our uncle?” As he asked this, his face went straight and serious. Kili still wore a smirk on his face but his eyes were calm and full of hope. The question took Bilbo aback, making him cough awkwardly as he quickly averted his eyes.  
  
“I… um.. I enjoy his company.. Yes, I suppose.. er-“  
  
“So you like him?”  
  
“Well-“  
  
“Do you love him?”  
  
“What? I didn’t-“  
  
“So, you love him!”  
  
“Oh, I do believe he does, Kee!”  
  
“Do you-“  
  
“Yes!” Bilbo said quickly, his eyes widening as he gazed towards the other dwarves. Thankfully, they were busy chatting about, rolling their eyes as Dori flattered himself. The hobbit’s mouth hardened into a straight line as he turned his attention back to the younger dwarves.  
  
They looked shocked for a second, their lips parted open in surprise as they gazed slightly down at the hobbit. Fili was the first one to break into a cheeky smile, followed quite quickly by Kili. With a swift nod from both of them, they swung their arms under Bilbo’s underarms and dragged him around a corner, away from the square where they were duelling at. They pressed his back hard against one of the walls of a laketown-house and flicked their heads from side to side, making sure that no one was listening, before they turned back to the burglar.

“You love him, then” Kili nodded, slightly loosening the grip on Bilbo’s shoulder. The hobbit sighed in exasperation and defeat, shaking in embarrassment. He nodded softly, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground.   
  
“Uncle is-“ Fili began, before being cut off by Bilbo. The hobbit snapped his head up and furrowed his eyebrows together. “Your uncle could never love someone at… my level. He’s a king, for goodness sake. What would he get from loving me?” The hobbit’s heart broke with each word, his mind spinning as he thought of the two of them not being together.. it was almost unbearable. The two nephews paused for a little moment, searching their minds for the correct answer. Kili was about to say something clever, before his brother placed a hand on his back.  
  
“Hope” Fili nodded, his smile disappearing as the conversation became serious. “A new chance to start over. The air was silent besides the distant buzzing of the dwarves and lakemen. The black water splashed beneath them as it hit the long pillars that kept laketown above the surface. Something flickered in the golden-nephew’s eyes and he looked down at Bilbo once more. “He’s found his happiness” A soft gasp escaped Bilbo’s lips as he recalled their conversation back in Rivendell.  
  
‘Thorin deserves happiness, but I think he has trouble finding it, personally.  
  
But I have hope that he’ll find it once again’  
  
Bilbo curled his hand into a fist, clutching at his pants as a warm blush spread across his face. No one seemed to know Thorin better than his nephews, so it really was something having them tell Bilbo that… Thorin and him… could it be? The hobbit nodded shyly, biting down on his lip as the air  around them became awkward; hanging over them like a cloud. Bilbo shut his eyes, trying to see if he could somehow open them again and not be in this situation.  
  
However, this wasn’t the case. Instead, Bilbo straightened his back and looked at Fili and Kili.  
  
“What can I do?”  
  
~x~  
  
Dinner. Just the thinking of the word made Bilbo’s stomach claw for food. It had been a while since they had a decent meal. Well, ever since Rivendell, which was a good few months ago. As the hobbit walked towards the large tower that belonged to the Master, golden light spilled through the windows and under the door. And with it, came the smell. 

  
Oh, it was the best thing Bilbo’s nose had met since he left The Shire. Meats and vegetables of all kinds. Turkey, chicken, carrots, potatoes, stews, cakes, pies. The whole deal.  
  
Bilbo almost forgot that Thorin was walking next to him softly, smiling eagerly a the door ahead. They stopped at the entrance, looking at one another with soft smiles. Without warning, the dwarf king reached down and clutched at Bilbo’s hand, raising it to his lips to press a soft kiss there. The hobbit froze in his place, staring up at Thorin with his face hot. Thorin sighed softly and turned on his heel, walking through the door, smiling like an idiot. Bilbo stood there for a few more moments, flustered. He looked down at his hand, his face red with blush.  
  
Quickly, his mind wandered back to the food and he pushed open the door, squinting as golden light hit his face.  
  
The inside of the Master’s tower looked much more grand than he imagined. Paintings on almost every wall, mostly portraits of the Master himself. A red carpet was rolled along the floor, running under the large dining table that the dwarves were seated on. A large chandelier hung from the ceiling, which was the cause of the blinding light. Bilbo’s eyes darted to the table, where food was flying across the dwarves, as usual. Food lay spread all across the wooden surface. Piles of cupcakes, chicken legs and cheeses grew in large mounds. Bilbo’s eyes searched for an available chair.  
  
That being, of course, next to Thorin. As the dwarf king looked up from his plate at Bilbo, lust shone in his eyes. Bilbo shifted nervously, before walking quietly down and seating himself next to his dwarf. No one seemed to notice him entering, except for Thorin, of course. As the hobbit sighed awkwardly and reached for a piece of sliced bread, he felt something cold splatter across his face. Bombur had meant to throw a piece of potato towards Bofur, but Bilbo had been in the splash zone. It was only a little bit, but the hobbit never enjoyed having food on his face. The dwarves laughter erupted as Bofur was covered in potato, along with Bombur cheering in triumph.  
  
“I got it” Thorin said lowly, raising a hand and softly gliding a thumb over Bilbo’s cheek. The hobbit froze at the contact, feeling Thorin’s warm skin on his. The dwarf gently wiped off the food off of Bilbo’s face and flung it back at Bombur, who huffed in protest. Thorin kept his hand on Bilbo’s face for a moment. And, just for those few seconds, all Bilbo could see was Thorin. His surroundings and the laughter of the dwarves faded into the back of his mind as looked at him.  
  
“Thorin-“  
  
“Aye, Bilbo! Mind passin’ the salami? Ori said he won’t eat any of his greens without it!” Dori shouted, shaking Bilbo and Thorin from their trance. The dwarf king sharply drew his hand shyly into his lap as Bilbo reached for a roll of salami and passed it to Nori, who threw it at Dori. Ori smirked in triumph as he received the meat, politely slicing it into thin pieces. The Master didn’t seem to speak at all, sitting at the end of the table, stuffing his face with all sorts of rich food. Bread crumbs were heavily decorated in his must ache and hair. Pieces of carrot and broccoli were stuck in-between his teeth and he made no efforts to clean it out. Bilbo slunk down in his chair, staring down at his hands.  
  
‘He’s really got you, Mr.Baggins’ Bilbo though to himself as he lazily prodded a piece of carrot with his fork. However, the thoughts of love and peace didn’t last long as his eyes gazed out of one of the windows towards the mountain. He lowered his fork as his mind wandered to Erebor and what could await him in the dark halls of the dwarves. He could imagine the unbearable heat of dragon-fire, the hot breath of the beast that would melt him without even trying.  
  
In defence, the hobbit reached for his ring and as he made contact with the piece of gold, his heart thumped quickly and there was a scream in his ears. Alerted, he pushed up from the table, making his chair fall over with a clank on the carpeted floor. The room became quiet quite quickly, the dwarves freezing in their food battle. The Master chewed for a few more seconds, before raising a thick, unkept eyebrow at Bilbo. The hobbit froze in embarrassment as he stood up.  
  
Without saying a word, he backed away from the table, pushing his chair back up and swinging the large doors open. And as he picked up his pace away from the tower, something caused his heart to ache. Tears threatened to fall and his face became red with fear. He kept walking with no sense of direction. Not that it would matter, as the town was relatively small compared to The Shire or any elf kingdom.  
  
He came to one of the corners of the village and stopped in his tracks to catch his breath. A full moon hung above them in the sky, blinking down at him with mysterious sorrow. The mountain spiked up from the ground, towering over the giant lake that stretched for miles in front of him. Erebor looked daunting and being dauntless was definitely not Bilbo’s cup of tea.  
  
He collapsed on his knees, hitting the wooden floor with a heavy thud. And as silence poured all around him, he quietly let the tears roll down his cheeks and stain the floor with dark dots. He sat there for what felt like hours, but was really merely about twenty minutes and wept to himself, wrapping his arms around his knees. It surprised him, crying. He rarely cried. And he didn’t even know what had caused him to cry, but it hurt.  
  
“Bilbo..” Thorin whispered behind him, causing the hobbit to hide his face with his arms. The dwarf king sighed deeply behind him and walked over beside him. Bilbo lifted his face from his arms and noticed that Thorin had offered his hand to him. The hobbit paused before slipping his hand into Thorins and felt himself being pulled up. The dwarf king extended his other arm and placed it on Bilbo’s back, before his other arm snaked around his chest, pulling him into a warm embrace. Bilbo wrapped both arms behind Thorin and clutched at his coat as he buried his face in Thorin’s shoulder. “Shh.. shh.. It’ll be okay. I promise” The dwarf king whispered soothingly into Bilbo’s hair as he kissed his forehead.  
  
“But will it?” The hobbit asked, pulling away from the dwarf king. “For all we know, there could be a dragon in there.. Smaug could still live. And I have to-“  
  
“Don’t you think about that. No one has heard of the dragon for 60 years. And if he still lives… I promise I will not let him take you” Thorin’s eyes grew stern and full of truth when he spoke those words. He let go of Bilbo and grabbed both of his hands in his. “I promise that I will make sure you get back home” Thorin nodded, his heart sinking slightly at the thought of Bilbo returning back home. The hobbit paused in the silence of the night, and stared down at their hands.  
  
“I don’t want to go back to The Shire, Thorin son of Thrain” Bilbo whispered amongst the silence. A light sigh escaped Thorins mouth, looking down at Bilbo in surprise. Bilbo looked up from their hands and gazed up at Thorin. He drew a hand back and reached up, placing it gently on the dwarf’s face, stroking his thumb over his cheekbone. “I want to stay with you” Bilbo’s voice cracked has he spoke, smiling as he admitted what his mind had been occupied with.  
  
The thought never occurred to him, but once the journey was over, he was to return back to The Shire. Leaving everything behind but his share of treasure. And returning back to Bag End would mean that it was very unlikely for him to see the dwarf king again. The thought of not being able to be with him… he just couldn’t imagine in.  
  
“Oh, Bilbo” Thorin chuckled deeply, wrapping his arms around his waist and lifting Bilbo up. The hobbit erupted into laughter as the dwarf swung him around a few times, feeling an overwhelming sense of joy. Thorin grinned as he let Bilbo back onto the floor, trying to stand still from the dizziness.  
  
“Look..” The dwarf’s eyes shone as he reached into his pocket. Bilbo’s smile faded for a second as his hand automatically reached for his golden ring in his pocket. However, as Thorin pulled whatever was in his pocket out, Bilbo’s hand dropped to his side.  
  
It was a box. Made of birch-wood. On the top, it had an engraving of an acorn. The corners were rounded and lined with some sort of paint. Around the sides were small, pieces of emerald. In the middle of one of the sides was a golden clip that held the box shut. Thorin’s smile faded as he held out the box in one of his hands. Looking down at Bilbo, his heart was full of love. “Thorin..” Bilbo began but his voice faded off when Thorin opened the box. The hobbit raised two hands to his mouth and froze, his eyes wide as he stared at what the box contained.  
  
There were two, solid silver rings that sparkled if you held it up in the right angle under the light. The rings were decorated with vines and a green gem lay in the middle, holding great beauty with it. They lay in the box, nestled amongst a deep-red velvet sort of material, settled next to each other. Thorin offered the box closer to Bilbo and prepared to speak.  
  
“Bilbo Baggins. Ever since our first meeting, somehow, deep down I knew that you were something else. Yes, this journey was to reclaim our homeland; but all I really need is you. And only hours ago, I realised that I couldn’t imagine growing old with anyone else, nor do I want to” Bilbo’s heart slowed down as he listened to Thorin, his eyes wide with surprise. “Many years ago, after the dragon-fire, I lost myself along the way. I never thought that I would find love again…” Thorin reached down into the box and pulled out one of the silver rings, the one on the left. It was thinner and the vines curled more smoothly than the other one. “But I think I’ve found it” He looked down at Bilbo lovingly.  
  
“Each person has that one out there, just waiting for them, no matter how long they have to wait. That one who will always be beside them, through both good and evil.” Thorin bent his knee, looking up at Bilbo, pleading with his eyes. “So, Master Burglar. Will you let me be the one? Will you take me?  
  
Marry me.”  
  
The air was dead silent, apart for the loud thumping in Bilbo’s ears. Seeing Thorin kneeling on the ground, just having asked him to spend their lives together, triggered something deep in Bilbo that the hobbit had never noticed before. Something much deeper than love.. stronger.  
  
It was something that sparked between the two, as if it were in the very air. You can not see it, but it is there. And it’s that one something that you will only know about once it happens to you. Bilbo’s eyes began to swell with tears as he smiled softly, looking down at his love of his life.  
  
. . .  
  
“Yes. I will”  
  
~x~  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES. FINA-FUCKING-LLY. Okay, so this chapter was held off for a looooong time but forgive me <3
> 
> Thorin's such a nerd.


	20. UPDATE: 13/11/15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ..What? ..An update? What kind of sorcery is this?!

~x~

Hellooo <3 If you guys missed my tumblr post @nobledurins, I'm officially back! Due to some shenanigans with passwords being lost and emails being misplaced, I've been in-active for a few months and would just like to apologize. I'll spare you the pain of explaining what exactly happened, but I'm back! Yes, I'll be posted the long-awaited next chapter of FFDAK and plan on actively updating it until it finishes.

Super glad to be back and excited to continue our journey on the feels train together :)


	21. A Dragon's Treasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yes, finally this thing's up! 
> 
> Bilbo wakes, ecstatic at the thought of being engaged to none other than Thorin Oakenshield. However, his joy does not last long as they reach the hidden door, with the possible threat of a dragon behind it.

~x~  
  
Bilbo’s eyes flicked open as he heard his name being called. Looking up, he saw that Thorin stood, bent over him with a soft smile and a hand on his shoulder. “Time to go” The hobbit’s eyes trailed down from his face to his hand and froze at the sight of a ring on his finger. For just a moment, he wondered what it was for, until he remembered last night. His face grew hot as he looked at his own hand and grinned, looking back up to Thorin with his face red. Thorin winked softly before pulling the burglar up to his feet, letting Bilbo dust himself off. It was hard to fall asleep for a long while, as all that Bilbo could think of was Thorin. His soon-to-be-husband. It felt unreal. Surely, he had no feelings for him whatsoever. Bilbo had been so sure of that, stating it in his mind as a fact. Thorin did not love him.  
  
And yet, last night showed him that he did, and it was the best feeling in the world. And it rung like a song in his ears, keeping him smiling like a fool all night. It took him a while before he finally drifted off, and Bilbo welcomed the warmth of love like a blanket to keep out the cold. And yet, when Bilbo rose in the morrow, the lack of sleep seemed to not affect him at all.  
  
Bilbo beamed up at his fiancé and pushed up on his toes, planting a brief kiss to his nose, before gathering his things. It took Thorin by surprise for a moment, the sweet and small gesture that his hobbit and so kindly given to him. Though, he took it warmly and smiled as he turned around to wake his nephews.  
  
As they stepped out of the door, crowds that awaited outside cheered loudly and pumped their fists into the air in celebration, excitement flowing through them like lightning. Young children laughed and bounced on their heels, grinning from ear to ear as they looked up at the dwarves in front of them.  
  
Bilbo squinted his eyes as the sun hit his face, revealing hundreds of excited faces beaming at them. He smiled gratefully and lifted his hand in the air to wave to a few kids who giggled up at him.  
  
However, he quickly hid his hand, realizing that his ring glinted in the sunlight, easy enough for everyone to see. His face quickly turned a shade of crimson, before he walked stiffly after Dwalin towards the boats that waited for them next to the end of the dock.

Bilbo stood on his toes once he got to the docks, counting each of the members. He paused for a moment, furrowing his eyebrows as he counted to twelve.   
  
“You do know we’re one short. Where’s Bofur?” Bilbo looked around him, asking no one in particular. “If he’s not here, we leave him behind” Thorin answered roughly, packing what he could into one of the boats.  
  
“We’ll have to” Balin nodded along. “If we’re to find the door before nightfall, we can risk no more delays” The older dwarf concluded, making Bilbo nod in understanding. The hobbit pressed his lips together and turned to Thorin, who had turned to Kili, placing a hand on his nephew’s chest, stopping him from getting into the boat.  
  
“Not you” Thorin said blankly. “We must travel at speed. You will slow us down”  
  
Kili smiled, his eyebrows raised as he knew that his uncle must be joking. “What do you mean? Of course I’m coming with you” He laughed softly at the end, attempting to take another step forward but being cut off by his uncle’s body that quickly moved in front of him. Kili’s smile faded, his eyebrows pressed together in confusion and frustration.  
  
“I am going to be there when that door is opened. I must! When we first look upon the Halls of our Fathers, Uncle. You promised!” He said desperately, his eyes softening as he pleaded.  
  
“Kili, stay here” Thorin smiled sympathetically, placing a large hand to his nephew’s cheek. “Rest. You can join u when you’re healed”.  
  
“I’ll stay with him. My duty lies with the wounded” Oin poked into the conversation, placing a hand on Kili’s shoulder, pulling him back to sit apon a barrel so that Oin could have a look at him. Fili had noticed the commotion and walked quickly up to Thorin.  
  
“Uncle, we grew up on tales of that mountain. Tales you told us when we were younger! It’s unfair.. you cannot take that away from him! You mustn’t!” Fili tried to convince him, even though he knew that persuading his uncle to do something wasn’t exactly easy.  
  
“Fili-“  
  
“I will carry him if I must!”  
  
“One day you will be a king, and you will understand, dear nephew. No, I cannot risk the fate of this quest for the sake of one Dwarf. Not even my own kin, I’m afraid. Don’t be foolish. You belong with us, you belong with the company” Thorin stopped Fili from walking towards Kili, desperately trying to have at least one of his nephews with him when they got to the door.  
  
“I belong with my brother” Fili said strongly, standing up so that he looked taller, his eyes dead serious. His gaze flicked from Thorin to Bilbo, and with a subtle nod, he tore himself away from Thorins grip to Kili’s side.  
  
Thorin stood still and sighed in defeat, raising a hand as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Bilbo looked at his feet before walking softly up to the king, placing a small hand on his arm.  
  
“Thorin-“  
  
“Go now and with our goodwill, good fortune and good wishes! And may your return bring us happiness!” The master bellowed loudly through the cheers, interrupting a point that Bilbo was trying to prove to Thorin. He knew how hard it was to have both of his nephews not join him while they would open the door, but Bilbo never got a chance to speak with him about it. At least, not anymore.  
  
Thorin looked from the master, to Bilbo, towards the first boat, where Dwalin and Gloin grabbed each of the ores, ready to paddle away. Thorin grabbed Bilbo’s hand gingerly, pulling him towards the first boat.  
  
As they pulled away from the dock, Bilbo tipped his hat at the people lined up down the alleys to bid them farewell and caught the sly grin of the woman who showed them the rings. His smile faded slightly as her gaze was stuck on his hand and he smiled with embarrassment, rubbing the back of his neck as she winked at him.  
  
Amongst the cheers, Bilbo could’ve sworn he heard Bofur’s voice calling out to them, but by the time he could see Bofur, they were well out of the town.  
  
It was quite a long paddle towards the mountain, and with each stroke, Bilbo felt increasingly terrified for his life, staring up at the towering mountain in front of them. The water was quite still, twinkling as the sunlight hit it’s surface, making it’s shadowy depths seem lighter. Thorin was perched at the front of the boat, right next to Bilbo who sat on the edge.  
  
The hobbit gulped nervously, but relaxed slightly as the brooding king softly placed his hand over Bilbo’s. The hobbit shyly smiled at their hands and felt the warmth spread throughout his body within a matter of seconds.  
  
~  
  
“Anything?!”  
  
“Nothing!”  
  
“I thought it was supposed to be right here?”  
  
“Well it’s obviously not, Ori”  
  
“Keep looking!”  
  
“If the map is true, the hidden door lies directly above us”  
  
The company had left their boats on the shore just off the mountain and had climbed over rocks, through short tunnels and around giant boulders. The weather had drastically changed and the sun had begun its descent, to bilbo’s delight as the warm breeze whipped his hair back. They had passed the ruins of the city of Dale, burnt black and crumbled from the dragon attack all those years ago.  
  
Gandalf was also missing, much to Bilbo’s disappointment, as he was dearly longing to see his friend once again before he went to face the mountain. However, they could not wait for him and had to press on. Now, they stood in a deep valley-sort of area, a place of roughly flat ground, with the tall sides of the mountain surrounding them in jutting edges and corners.  
  
They had been searching for the door for what felt like hours, but was merely just a few minutes.  
  
“Surely..” Bilbo whispered to himself, jogging uphill to look around a corner. His eyes widened and his mouth gaped open at what he saw- two giant stone statues of a dwarf. Around the dwarf were sharp edges to look like stairs, and a path that winded up to the top of the dwarves, where a flat platform stood resting on the heads of both of them.  
  
“Thorin! Up here” Bilbo beckoned Thorin forward, who was quickly at his side and grinned up at the sight. Something of greed flicked for a minute in the king’s eyes and he leaned into Bilbo’s arm happily. “You have keen eyes, Mr.Baggins”  
  
It took a bit of blood and tears, but they managed to climb up the side of the mountain and reach the rough path that zigzagged towards the platform. Thorin led the way, never once slowing down his pace. Bilbo pushed himself hard behind him, panting which each step that burnt his thighs. He almost collapsed when they finally reached the platform, but instead he leaned against a rock, his legs shaking with exhaustion. Thorin chuckled quietly and the dwarves patted each other on the back with relief.

They had made it.  
  
“The hidden door…” Thorin whispered to himself, planting a hand on a smooth, steep surface that reached tall above them, before becoming a jutted overhang, slimming out as it soon became the peak of the mountain. The dwarf king turned towards his kin. “Let all those who doubted us, rue this day!” He raised the key so that they could see it, and the dwarves exploded into cheers, practically jumping and embracing one another as they celebrated. Bilbo grinned widely, leaning his head against the rock, closing his eyes as he hummed peacefully to himself, like he would back in The Shire.  
  
“Right then. We have a key” Dwalin nodded, smiling ever so slightly to himself.  
  
Bilbo hadn’t seen Dwalin really smile before, and it was a strange but welcoming look on the dwarf’s tired face. “Which means, that somewhere, there is a key-hole”. The dwarf walked forwards to inspect the surface, tapping on it with his fingers as he searched for the key-hole.  
  
Bilbo opened his eyes, looking towards Thorin longingly. His face grew warm and his heart raced as The hobbit gazed at Thorin’s ring, smiling to himself that he was as lucky as he was to have someone like Thorin, fall in love with someone like him.  
  
“The last light of Durin’s Day, will shine upon the key-hole” Thorin said lowly, looking down at the map with subtle excitement.  
  
“Nori, come give me a hand”  
  
“We’re loosing light”  
  
“Be quiet! I can’t hear when your thumping”  
  
“I can’t find it”  
  
“It’s not here!”  
  
“Thorin,” Dwalin said, his head thumping with frustraition. The dwarf king spun around to look at his friend with confusion. “It’s not here”. Thorin’s chest rose in shock, and he shook his head. “Break it down.”  
  
“Aye”  
  
“You head him! Break it!”  
  
“Come on, break! It must!”  
  
Balin kicked at the door once more and kicked away a pebble in frustration. “It’s no good. The door is sealed. It’s impossible for it to be opened by force, as there’s a powerful magic apon it”  
  
“No..” Thorin muttered in defeat, almost falling to his knees. Bilbo rose from his posture, looking at the surface in disbelief. It can’t be…  
  
“What did we miss?!” Thorin yelled into the air, looking up at the mountain with tears threatening to leave his eyes. He turned to Balin, his chest heaving as he searched for an answer from the older dwarf. “What did we miss..?” He asked lowly, hoping for an answer.  
  
“We’ve lost.. the light”  
  
They all looked towards the horizon in front of them, and a gasp escaped Bilbos mouth as he could see the sun just dip below the horizon. The only thing that was left was the soft red glow from the setting sun, slowly going darker and darker as the minutes passed. The hobbit collapsed against the wall, shaking his head with confusion.  
  
“We had but once chance.. Come away, lads” Balin concluded, catching his breath as he too felt the tears welling up. “It’s over”  
  
“No..” Bilbo said aloud softly, catching no ones attention as they filed up to leave, Dwalin already disappearing down the first few steps. “No, you… you can’t give up now! You mustn’t!” Bilbo yelled louder this time, exchanging a glance with Balin before he too dissapeared. Only Thorin remained, with his back to The Hobbit.  
  
“Bilbo…”  
  
“We can’t give up! There must be something else!”  
  
“Bilbo, give up.” Thorin interrupted him, spinning on one heel blankly. “It’s over” He shook his head and dropped the key to the ground, before walking after his kin.  
  
Bilbo blinked in disbelief as to what had just happened and sunk to the ground, shaking his head and punching the surface softly. “The last light of Durin’s Day will shine… the last light..” He looked around at the sky, hoping for some sort of sign as to what they missed.  
  
He stood up abruptly as his gaze became fixed on the moon that rose in the distance as he looked around, his eyes widening. “The last light” The surface behind him creaked slightly and once he turned around, the moonlight had shone at the door and had revealed the key-hole.  
  
“Wait, wait! Come back! It’s the light of the _moon_! The last moon of autumn! Hahaha!” Bilbo laughed into the air, jumping up and down at his discovery.  
  
“The key.. where- where’s the key?” He asked himself, shuffling around as to find where Thorin had dropped it. He suddenly felt a sharp object poke his foot and heard the clank of metal hit the stone floor. He whipped around and saw it bounce towards the edge and would’ve been lost forever, if Thorin hadn’t gotten to it before it fell.  
  
Bilbo exhaled with surprise and backed up a few steps as Thorin grabbed it and held it up, the wind whipping his dark hair from his face. His blue eyes met with Bilbo’s and he took a step forward, standing over Bilbo tenderly. He leaned down and gingerly pressed his forehead to Bilbo’s with gratitude, closing his eyes. The hobbit melted at his touch and inhaled, the familiar scent of tobacco and grass reaching his nose.  
  
The king backed up a few paces before turning towards The Company who stood baffled behind him. They nodded softly, silently inquiring their king to open it. Without hesitation, Bilbo watched the dwarf walk up to the door and place the key inside the key-hole. He turned it, and it clicked open. There was a pause of silence between the group, and as Thorin withdrew the key and pushed on the surface, a slab of stone pushed forward revealing a doorframe and a tunnel.  
  
Bilbo’s breath hitched in the back of his throat and the company smiled in silent relief. Thorin turned to Balin and the two walked through first, Thorin’s hand gliding over the walls once they were in.  
  
“Thorin..” Balin chocked out, raising a hand to wipe his eye emotionally.  
  
“I know these walls. These halls. This stone…” Thorin whispered, his eyes scanning longingly at the slim corridor. Bilbo was fifth in, and the first thing that hit him was the smell. It was a rich, earthy smell with a hint of metal and coal. Further down the tunnel, amongst the dark, he noticed that some of the pillars were lined with a thin line of gold and emerald. “You remember it, Balin?” Thorin asked softly, turning towards his older friend.  
  
“I remember. ‘Herein lies the Seventh Kingdom of Durin’s Folk. May the Heart of the Mountain unite all dwarves in defence of this home’” Balin had caught Bilbo staring at something above the narrow corridor.  
  
It was some sort of a carving, with a chair sat in the middle of it. On top of the chair was a diamond-shaped ornament and beams of light seemed to glow from it. Above and below it, words were written in Khuzdul. The dwarf turned to look at Bilbo and noticed the confused expression plastered on his face.  
  
“The Throne of the King” Balin summarized with a nod.  
  
“Ah. Yes, I see” Bilbo nodded, squinting at the picture. “And, what’s that above it?” Bilbo nodded towards the diamond decorated on the top of the chair.  
  
“The Arkenstone, laddie”  
  
“Arkenstone..” Bilbo tried out the word, biting the inside of his cheek. “And, um, what’s that?”  
  
“That, Master Burglar…” Thorin interrupted, catching Bilbo’s gaze. “is why you are here”.  
  
~  
  
“Alright, let me get this clear. You want me to find a jewel?” Bilbo asked Balin curiously, squeezing both of his hands into fists as he looked down from the overhanging platform they were on.  
  
In front and below him were stairways and hallways. He could notice in the distance that there was a soft orange glow- which he could only imagine would be the treasures of Erebor. He hadn’t heard much about them, only that they were greatly valued amongst the dwarves. “A large, white jewel” Bilbo specified, across at Balin.  
  
“Yes”  
  
“That’s it? Only, uh, I imagine that there’s quite a few down there” Bilbo laughed lightly, sweat trickling down his temples.  
  
“Yes, but there is only _one_ Arkenstone. You’ll know it when you see it”  
  
“Right..” Bilbo looked down at his feet, biting his lip nervously. The older dwarf opened his mouth as to speak and hesitation before words escaped his lips.  
  
“In truth, lad… I do not know what you will find down there” Balin spoke truthfully and watched as Bilbo’s face drained in color. “You needn’t go if you don’t want to. There is no dishonour in turning back” The dwarf quickly reassured him.  
  
“No, Balin. I- I promised I would do this and I believe that I must try” Bilbo forced a smile, his legs weak as if he were about to fall over. What caught him off-guard, however, was that Balin’s grin grew wider and a low chuckle escaped his mouth.  
  
“It never ceases to amaze me” He said between laughs.  
  
“What’s that?” Bilbo asked, slightly taken aback.  
  
“The courage of Hobbits” Balin said nobly smiling at Bilbo with kind eyes. “Now, go on with as much luck as you can muster” With this, Bilbo Baggins breathed in sharply and took a few steps to the side, towards the first step of the stairs. “Oh, and Bilbo-“ The hobbit stopped in his tracks and looked up at Balin.  
  
“If there is, in fact, a live dragon down there amongst the treasure…” Balin leaned forward ever so slightly and his grin quickly disappeared. “Don’t waken it”.  
  
~  
  
It did not take Bilbo long at all to find the great treasure halls of Erebor. The glow had slowly gotten stronger in brightness and acted like a beacon for him to reach. After winding down a fews stairwells and turning a few corners, he had reached the deep halls of the dwarf kingdom, and the amount of treasure that lay within it had made his mind spun and his stomach tighten.  
  
There was gold for miles and miles, in hills and mounds large enough to be considered actual hills. Diamonds, silver, emeralds and other jewels lay within the gold, shining brighter than the sun, even though the halls had no lighting. Pillars stood out from the hills of gold, stretching high into the ceiling. The fact that Bilbo had to find just one stone in all of this made his heart go to his stomach and his head grow light. However, he was determined and so took it upon himself to find the Arkenstone. He must.  
  
Of course, treading through hills of gold isn’t as quiet or simple as it seems, as Bilbo ended up tripping up every 10 or so steps and always has something crashing after him.  
  
“Good. Good, good, good” Bilbo said to himself, examining each jewel that he could see closely. “What’s that?” He asked himself, reaching for a large white rock. However, it didn’t seem any more special than the other things he’d seen nor did it glow of any sort. Toss it.  
  
“Shush! Shush.” He quickly shushed the rock as it tumbled down the mound before hitting the bottom. “Arkenstone.. Arkenstone.. Arken.. A large, white jewel.” He placed his hands on his hips, looking around him in frustration. “Very helpful.”  
  
Much time had passed since Bilbo had first set foot in this wasteland of gold, and his worry for a dragon had almost disappeared entirely. If there was one here, surely it would’ve heard him by now.. right? The hobbit began to make his way to one of the taller hills of gold near the centre of the halls, each time hearing the crunch and crash of gold coins hitting each other.  
  
He sighed as he reached one of the large pillars and something caught his eye. It was a golden cup, rimmed on the outside with jewels. He bent down and grabbed it’s rim, pulling it towards himself. Some of the gold rattled as he pulled the cup, but at first he wasn’t too bothered by it. However, as the rattling kept going on, he quickly became alert and was terrified to see that a good amount of the side of the hill came sliding down. He winced and looked up. But what he saw terrified him even more.  
  
A large, closed, red eye revealed itself from the mass of coins. Scales outlined the part of the face, for it was obvious that the eye belonged to a dragon. His senses came over him and he quickly ducked behind the pillar, grabbing it’s sides in fear. His breath quickened and his heart pounded heavily in his ears, making his body quiver.  
  
A loud blow of air erupted near the eye, revealing a scaly nose. Coins continued to trickle off the top of the head and around the nose as Bilbo attempted to escape. However, looking further up the hill, he noticed something. The shape of a long tail amongst the relatively smooth bumps of the gold mounds. He gulped, his eyes widening as he realized just how big this dragon was. “Oh gods..” He whispered to himself, feeling more lightheaded.  
  
The hobbit winced as he took his first two steps forward down the hill and quickly squatted down as he heard large amounts of gold tumble from further up as he walked down. Looking back, fear struck in his heart when he noticed that the head was just a few meters behind him.  
  
He tilted his head and as if on que, the eye flicked open. It was a golden eye, with a dark slit in the centre that seemed to stare at him with a menacing look. Bilbo instantly fell to his knees, sliding a bit further down at the thought of wakening the dragon. His breath quacked and he slid down even further, before ducking behind a mound that blocked him from the dragons view.  
  
“No.. no, no, no…” Bilbo whispered to himself, blinking in disbelief. As he heard the gold above him start to flow a bit more, Bilbo instinctively reached for the ring in his pocket.  
  
He gazed down at it longingly, holding it protectively in his hand as if it could save his life. After all, it very well could. It had before. More coins tumbled down, some landing on his shoulders as the sound got louder and louder. His body shook with fear as he slipped the ring on his finger, stood up and turned around, almost frozen as he saw the giant head and neck of the dragon appear from the gold.  
  
It was quite an ugly beast, simply unpleasant, at least he thought, and its eyes seemed intelligent and strong. He bit down on his tongue, trying to keep the sound of his breathing quiet so the dragon could not hear him. However, as he rose, he felt that the ring had no power at all. _Gods help me.._ he thought.  
  
The dragon bared its teeth and took a breath, before leaning closer to the hobbit.  
  
“ _Well… thief,”_  
  
It speaks.  
  
Bilbo’s stomach lurched as it got closer, one of it’s claws wrapping around the pillar. He bent down, his stomach flat against the gold as it’s massive head came closer, directly above him, staring down at him with it’s eye.  
  
_“I smell you… I hear your breath”_ It continued to slither above him, it’s neck just inches away from his body. _“I feel your air”_ It’s tail lashed slowly, sliding across the walls as it turns to face him head-on. _“Where are you?”_ It hissed, creeping closer.  
  
Bilbo stood up protectively, fumbling his thumbs in fear.  
  
_“Where are you?!”_  
  
As it’s just a few inches from him, he started to bolt down the hill. The dragon growled in surprise and flicked it’s tail in annoyance, chasing after the burglar. Bilbo spotted a bridge and had sprinted to hid in front of one of the pillars holding it up. His breath quickened and his skin went cold with fear. He peeked out from the side of the pillar, watching as the dragon searched for him.  
  
_“Come now… don’t be shy. Step into the light, hidden one”_ The dragon turned to face him as he spoke, making Bilbo exhale sharply. The beast turned, out of Bilbo’s sight.  
  
“ _There is… something about you… Something you.. carry.”_ Bilbo bit his cheek once more, this time tasting the metallic taste of blood as the dragon turned around the corner of the pillar, nearing Bilbo with each second. The hobbit took a few quick steps around the corner, pressing himself flat against the other side of the pillar.  
  
“ _Something made of gold. But far.. more… precious.”_ As he says the world precious, it rung in Bilbo's ears. He squeezed his hands into tight fists, clenching his teeth and squinting his eyes as it continued to sing in his ears, making him feel tight and uneasy. He shook his head and saw a flash of fire- the eye. He gasped, quickly slipping the ring off his finger in shock. Bilbo looked up into the eye of the dragon, his breath heavy.  
  
Smaug stared right back at him.  
  
…  
  
_“There you are, Thief in the Shadows”_  
  
~x~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a lot of fluff in this one, I'm afraid. The next few chapters will mostly be fluff-less, as it'll be Bilbo and The Company facing Smaug *crying* Please bare with me for the next few chapters (I'll try to sneak in some lovin') but for the most part it'll mostly be action stuff. Glad I'm back <3


	22. A Dragon's Treasure Pt.2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Made this one a bit longer~
> 
> Summary: Smaug figures out as to why Bilbo has come, Bilbo questions if the love between him and Thorin is real and a plan of escape is formed.

Bilbo balled his clothes into his fists nervously, wiping the collected sweat on his palms on them. He opened his mouth as to talk and couldn’t quite get the words out. As the dragon sniffed curiously, Bilbo knew that if he didn’t speak soon, he’d be gone in a second. 

“I.. I did not come to steal from you… O Smaug, the wealthy” He breathed heavily, blinking quickly as he said so. “I merely wanted to gaze upon your magnificence. To see… if you were really as great as the old stories say” Bilbo forced a weak, nervous laugh “I did not believe them-“  
  
Smaug hissed at this, flicking his tail as he disappeared from around the corner and clambered over the bridge, going further away from Bilbo before he turned around, extending his wings, stretching his neck and lashing his tail about to make him seem even more enormous. “And do you now?!” Bilbo was at lost for words once more and could feel the eyes of the dragon prying inside his mind, digging for his lies. “Truly…” He breathed out, barely making any sound. “The tales and songs fall utterly short of your enormity… Smaug the Stupendous” He winced at his use of words but was careful not to insult the beast.  
  
“Tell me, thief, do you think flattery will keep you alive?” Smaug hissed, inching closer once more. The question took Bilbo aback, and fear once more struck through his heart like a dagger. “No.. no” Bilbo couldn’t keep the words inside of him, and he looked up at the dragon with more confidence. “No”  
  
“No, indeed” Smaug nodded along, standing closer to the hobbit, to the disappointment of Bilbo. “You seem familiar with my name but I do not remember smelling your kind before” He continued. “Who are you? Where do you come from, may I ask?” Bilbo stuttered as the dragon spoke, looking around as to find some sort of answer. He paused as something caught his eye amongst the gold, and he looked up at the dragon and then back down at it again. It was a shiny, white jewel, almost covered in gold. A white glow hung about it, and it held some sort of power amongst the rest. Bilbo’s lips parted and his eyebrows raised as he knew what it was. It was The Arkenstone.  
  
“I come form.. under the hill” Bilbo whispered breathlessly, choosing them carefully as to not reveal much about him at all. No, that would not be very good.  
  
“Underhill?”  
  
“And over hills my path has led” Bilbo grinned weakly at the dragon as he made up his journey in his mind, hoping that Smaug wasn’t as smart as he seemed. “An-and through the air! I am he who walks unseen”  
  
“Very impressive” Smaug said lowly, his face now just inches away from Bilbo’s. He parted his mouth slightly, revealing big, sharp, rotten teeth and a breath that would even revolt the dwarves. “What else do you claim to be?” Bilbo wrinkled his nose in disgust, waving a hand in front of his face as he tried not to breathe. “I am.. Luck-wearer. R-riddle-maker…”  
  
“Go ahead”  
  
“Barrel-rider” Bilbo said, exasperated, pressing his mouth into a thin line as he talked.  
  
“Barrels? Hmm, that is interesting, indeed” Smaug backed away a few paces, looking away from The Burglar before peeking down at him. “And what about your little… Dwarf friends? Where are they hiding, hmm?” Bilbo’s blood froze and his heart skipped a beat as the dragon made note of The Company. How on earth did he know?! Oh, this would make things oh so harder for Bilbo to be kept alive. The hobbit quickly changed his shocked expression to one of innocent confusion.  
  
“D-dwarves…?” The hobbit played around with the word as if he didn’t quite know what it meant. “No.. no, no Dwarves here. You’ve got that all wrong” He chuckled softly, pointing a finger at Smaug before resting his hands on his hips.  
  
“Oh, I do not think so, Barrel-rider” Smaug snapped suddenly, flicking his tail across the gold as he sent some tumbling down. The dragon left no time to let Bilbo speak and Smaug quickly turned away from Bilbo as he continued to speak. “They sent you in here to do their dirty work while they… skulk about outside” Bilbo walked closer and closer towards The Arkenstone, feeling like he must claim it, or else this whole journey has been for nothing. The dragon turned back to him as it turned around a pillar, one of it’s claws scraping the metallic material. Bilbo quickly turned to look up at him, still talking aback by his gigantic stature.  
  
“Truly, you are mistaken… O Smaug, cheapest and greatest of calamities” He referred back to what Bofur had said back at Bag End and tried to add sincerity into his words. It was quite a hard thing for a young hobbit to do, as he was face-to-face with a fire breathing dragon. Smaug prodded forward slowly.  
  
“You have nice manners for a their and a  _liar_!” Smaug roared slightly, the growl of a dragon hinted at the back of his throat. Bilbo’s eyes widened slightly and he felt that he was unable to move. Smaug arched his neck and looked around as he continued to speak. “I know the smell and taste of Dwarf! No one better!” He growled, baring his teeth and widening his glowing eyes, now with a hint of red. Bilbo looked up at Smaug nervously and dared to go closer to the Arkenstone, now desperate to reach it. “It is the gold, they are drawn to reassure like flies to flesh!” He hissed. Bilbo was just an arms-width away from the stone when Smaug stomped one of his claws straight in front of him, almost taking the hobbit’s arm along with him. Bilbo backed away suddenly, watching as The Arkenstone tumbled further down the hill of gold. “Oh!” The hobbit gasped, before running straight down after it as it bounced on bowls and cups.  
  
“Did you think I did not know this day would come?!” Smaug bellowed behind him, Bilbo not wasting a second as he chased after the stone. The beast smacked his neck into one of the pillars, the giant slab of stone and metal crushing against the weight. Bilbo yelled in alarm as he slipped and slid down a few steps, struggling to push his way through the river of gold that poured onto him.  
  
“That a pack of canting dwarves would come crawling back to the mountain?!” As he spoke, one of the pillars slipped from it’s place and crashed against the gold with a loud thud that echoed through the halls and beyond.  
  
~  
  
The dwarves gasped in alert and dropped to the ground as they felt and heard a loud thud like thunder rumble through the mountain.  
  
“What’s going on?”  
  
“A hurricane?”  
  
“Was that an earthquake?”  
  
“That, my lad..” Balin spoke from amongst them, looking towards laketown. The older dwarf turned around, fear for once in his eyes as he looked amongst his kin. “…was a dragon” Slowly, he turned to look at his King, whose eyes were wide with fear and shock.  
  
~  
  
“The King Under the Mountain is dead!” Smaug roared dangerously, placing a claw just on top of Bilbo. The hobbit yelled as he popped out through the gold between his claws and ran down the steps towards the Arkenstone, desperate to escape the wrath of Smaug. “I took his throne! I ate his people-“ Bilbo turned a corner, continuing to run down the steps as the beast placed another claw just inches away from the hobbit himself. “- like a wolf amongst sheep.” Bilbo shook as he heard the low growl of Smaug just behind him and jumped off from the corner into the gold below, skipping the steps and tumbling closer towards the Arkenstone. “I kill where I wish,  _when_  I wish” The burglar ran quickly away from Smaug, wasting no time at all. He heard the swift, roaring sound of winds gliding through air. The dragon glided down the mountains of gold, towards Bilbo. The hobbit slipped and ducked behind a fallen pillar, once again, inches away form getting beheaded by Smaug’s enormous claws.  
  
“No blade can pierce me! It’s Oakenshield… that filthy Dwarvish usurper” Bilbo paused as Smaug mentioned Thorin’s name in disgust and felt anger and longing well up inside him. Oh, how he wished to be beside Thorin at this very point. Oh, how he longed to feel his warmth. Now was not the time to wish for the impossible, so Bilbo peeked behind the corner of the pillar to gaze at the Arkenstone, just a few meters in front of him. “He sent you in here, for the Arkenstone, didn’t he?”  
  
“No! No, no” The hobbit took a step forward, breathless from the run. “I don’t know wha-what you’re talking about”  
  
“Dont bother denying it!” Smaug snapped, causing Bilbo to disappear back behind his corner. Smaug wrapped a claw around the other end of the pillar. “I guessed his foul purpose some time ago. But, it matters not. For Oakenshield’s quest  _will_  fail. The darkness is coming… and it will spread to every corner of the land” Bilbo breathed heavily as he struggled to regain his breath.  
  
“You are being  _used_ , Thief in the Shadows. You were only… ever a means to an end” Smaug’s words began to sting, and the thought of Thorin using him.. no.. it wouldn’t be possible. “The coward, Oakenshield, has weighed the value of your life and found it worth.. nothing!” The dragon whispered, Bilbo feeling it’s breath blow his hair to the side.  
  
“No.. no, you’re lying!” Bilbo cried out, determined not to let the dragon get to him.  
  
“What did he promise you? A share of the treasure? As if it was his to give…”  
  
“He promised me…” Bilbo yelled from his spot. “He promised me… something else..”  
  
Smaug stopped his his tracks and laughed deeply. “Ohh, now this is interesting, indeed” The dragon whipped his head around, baring it’s teeth in a deep grin.  
  
“You have fallen for Oakenshield, haven’t you?” Bilbo looked down at his feet, feeling shame welling up inside him. “I wouldn’t bother, Barrel-rider. Why would  _he_  return those giddy feelings for  _you?_   Such a creature of low rank and stature- no wonder he sent you in here to die” Bilbo breathed in shakily, shaking away the tears that threatened to fall.  
  
“I will not part with a single coin” Smaug continued. “Not.. one.. piece of it!” Bilbo licked his lips and forced his sore feet to continue the run towards the Arkenstone, sprinting as fast as he could to reach the King’s Jewel. The dragon flicked his tail, sending up the gold, arkenstone and Bilbo himself into the air. The hobbit yelled in alert, hitting his back against one of the pillars painfully.  
  
“My teeth are swords!” He set one foot against the gold with a thud. “My claws are spears” Thud. “My wings are a hurricane!” The dragon stretched tall, revealing his chest. The hobbit stopped in his tracks and narrowed his eyes as he noticed that a scale was missing from his chest. It was a deep dent, concaving in as if he had been shot with an arrow…. shot with an arrow.  
  
“So it’s true. The Black Arrow found it’s mark” Bilbo whispered to himself.  
  
“What did you say?!”  
  
“I-I was just saying that your reputation precedes you, O Smaug… the… Tyrannical!” Bilbo exclaimed suddenly, standing up quickly. “Truly.” Bilbo said as the dragon creeped closer, it’s teeth bared. “You have no equal, on this earth” Bilbo looked from Smaug to the ground, feeling the pull of The Arkenstone draw him in. Smaug had his gaze on the jewel too, his eyes a deep orange with anger.  
  
“I am almost tempted to let you take it… If only to see Oakenshield… suffer.” Bilbo slowly drew his gaze from the stone to the dragon, blinking nervously. “Watch it corrupt his heart… and drive him mad!” He hissed, sliding his lizard-like tongue between his sharp teeth to emphasize the point. Bilbo shuffled his feet in fear.  
  
“But I think not.. I think our little  _game_  ends here!” Smaug backed away, raising his neck higher and higher as he backed away as to lunge forward once more. Bilbo furrowed his eyebrows and parted his lips in shock as he knew what was about to happen. “So tell me, thief..” The dragon’s chest glowed orange between his scales, causing Bilbo to shake with terror. “…how do you choose to die?!” The beast snapped open his mouth, rushing forward towards Bilbo with the back of his throat hot with fire. Bilbo gasped and quickly slipped the ring on his finger, running to the side a few paces as the dragon snapped down onto air, frustration welling up inside him. Smaug backed away again, standing on his two back feet as he felt the heat rising from his throat.  
  
Without hesitation, Bilbo quickly ran forward and grabbed the Arkenstone, tucking it in his pocket before dashing around a corner, hearing and feeling the heat of fire behind him. He ran up the stairs, gasping quickly as he continued to run.  
  
~x~  
  
Bilbo looked behind him as he stepped quickly up the stairs, wincing as the bright orange glow of fire blared in the distant halls, followed by a frustrated roar of a dragon. As the hobbit turned to look in front of him, his face met with something solid and he tumbled to the ground, dizzy from the collision.  
  
“Of all the things I needed right no-“ Bilbo cursed into the air, sitting up straight and looking what he had ran into. He was cut off when he saw what exactly he had ran into. It was Thorin. The dwarf king’s eyes had changed- greed filled with a hint of danger. Bilbo Baggins didn’t hesitate for one moment to greet his King. The hobbit pushed himself up and flung himself into Thorin’s arms, his chest heaving for air as he breathed in- smelling the familiar smell of Tobacco and dirt. Oh, how he missed it. “Oh,  _Mahal_ , you’re alive!” Thorin breathed into Bilbo’s hair happily, placing a hand on the hobbit’s back. The burglar nuzzled closer for a few seconds, welcoming the presence of the dwarf.  
  
“Not for much longer” Bilbo said quickly, taking a step back and turning his head as another roar echoed through the halls.  
  
“Did you find the Arkenstone?” Thorin questioned, his voice sounding hopeful for a moment. “Thorin, the dragon’s comin-“  
  
“The Arkenstone.” The dwarf persisted, his gaze solid once more. The dwarf’s grip tightened on his sword, his eyes turning darker and darker with each passing second. The hobbit was at loss for words- for he knew that The Arkenstone was, indeed, in his possession. Something deep inside him held him back.  
  
“Did you find it?” Thorin tilted his head, the warmth leaving his presence, the air becoming cold with greed and sickness. “We have to get out” Bilbo shook his head, to walk around the dwarf and up another flight of stairs. Before Bilbo could take more than two steps forward, Thorin swung his sword and hit it against the side of the doorway, hitting the metal with a loud clang. Sparks flew from the collision and Bilbo had to dodge one from landing on his foot.  
  
“Thorin…?” Bilbo whispered, cocking his head to the side questionably as he looked at the dwarf. His eyes trailed from his face to his hand, noticing the ring from laketown- their ring. A ring of promise- of love. “Thorin…” Bilbo breathed, hoping to draw his king from his trance. The dwarf’s eyes were stuck on Bilbo’s, but they had no emotion. No love. No courage. Just… dark. Thorin slowly turned his sword from the wall against Bilbo, forcing him to take a few steps back as the blade slid across this clothing. The hobbit looked down at the blade that was now pointed at his chest, feeling the metal pressing against his blouse. “Thorin!” Bilbo spoke clearly, his breathing rugged as Thorin took a few steps forward, the blade poking at him harder and harder with each step.  
  
Movement caught Bilbo’s eye, and he quickly averted his gaze off of Thorin, before looking towards the dragon that slowly crept around a distant corner. Thorin narrowed his eyes curiously, before they slowly widened at the sound of coins rolling over each other in the distance. The dwarf followed Bilbo’s gaze and they met with the golden eyes of Smaug, one enemy that he had faced many months ago- but had never dared meeting up with. The two backed up a few paces before yelling from the doorway broke the silence. The rest of the company, with swords in their hands, ran in front of them in a group, slashing their swords into the air before they looked at the sight in front of them. Smaug roared with fury, his tail smashing into pillars as he clambered towards them, his stomach red with fire.  
  
“You will burn!!” The dragon bellowed into the air, opening his mouth as fire flicked at the back of his throat.  
  
“Run!” Thorin shouted, signalling them to jump down the staircase, feeling the fire hot on their feet. Many “ah”s and “oof”s were heard as the company tumbled down a hill of gold, quickly sliding in a hole in the wall. “Come on Bilbo!” Dori called, shoving the hobbit in front of him. Smaug breathed his fire against the ceiling in fury, hungry for the taste of the dwarves.  Fire rolled over the hole, catching Thorin’s coat on fire. Bilbo bit his lip as he watched Thorin’s coat- the very same coat that carried Thorin’s smell, get singed and lit on fire. The dwarf yelled in alert and quickly slipped the coat off his shoulders as if it were nothing. “Come on” Thorin said, determined, jogging down a pathway with the cries of the dragon echoing through their minds. The burglar looked longingly at the coat, before jogging after Balin.   
  
~x~

The halls hung in a deadly silence as the company huddled together, trying to think of a way to escape. Bilbo’s gaze had not trailed off of Thorin- something was different. Yes, there was definitely something. It was something that you could not only see with your eyes, but feel in the air and within your heart. It was empty. They had decided to keep moving through the halls, being carful not to make a sound. Dori had whispered something to Ori, causing Thorin to raise up his hand to silence them.  
  
“Shh shh shh” He hushed, causing Nori to whack his brother in a half-teasing manner. Thorin looked in front of him, and stopped. There was an opening and a slim bridge that stretched from where they were to the other side, between pillars to another doorway. If they were going to cross it, they would need to be sure that Smaug wasn’t near- as they would be completely out in the open. The dwarf king peeked around the corner, seeing nothing of danger.  
  
“We’ve given him the slip!” Dori whispered.  
  
“No… he’s too cunning for that” Dwalin pointed out quietly, shaking his head as he looked towards Dori, to his brother and then to Thorin. Bilbo looked around at the company, his skin cold with fear. “Then where to now?” The burglar whispered to no one in particular, but catching Ori’s terrified attention. He didn’t really expect an answer, but it was Thorin who answered him this time.  
  
“The western guardroom…” Thorin breathed, turning to face his kin. “There may be a way out” Balin shook his head in disapproval of his king’s idea.  
  
“It’s too high. There’s no chance that way”  
  
“It’s our only chance” Thorin persuaded, looking back towards the walkway. “We have to try” The dwarf looked over his shoulder to Bilbo, who blinked up at him, hoping to see some of Thorin’s usual self again. The greed had sunk from his eyes, leaving behind their usual color of warm-blue. Bilbo couldn’t suppress a comforting smile at the dwarf, and to his relief, Thorin’s lips peaked up in a small, subtle smile. The dwarf flicked his hand to Ori, signalling him to follow his lead. They crept across the walkway- and in single file. “Come on…”  
  
A coin landed on the stone bridge with a clatter. The dwarves stopped in their face, frozen with fear as Bilbo looked down at the coin that had just dropped in front of him. Their eyes were wide as they had dearly hoped that the sound had not drawn the dragon to them. The hobbit felt himself over, confused that the coin might’ve fallen from him. As he checked himself, they all grew aware of a giant shadow passing over head, followed by a series of taps from coins falling from above. Bilbo gasped and looked up, seeing the large body of a dragon slither from above, unaware of their presence. Thorin flicked his hand again, his eyes never leaving Smaug as he clambered further and further away from The Company. As the dragon turned around the corner, they quickened their pace and disappeared into the next doorway.  
  
They proceeded to run through hallways, ducking around corners, upstairs, downstairs, more hallways until they had spotted a room lighter than the others. “Stay close” Thorin said quietly, before he stopped in his steps to look at the scene in front of him. Bilbo ran breathlessly to Thorin’s side and his heart sunk at the sight. Bodies, burnt and lain on top of each other filled the room’s floor. Stone had collapsed from the roof, weapons and shields were burnt and decorated heavily with webs. Bilbo looked at Thorin as the dwarf stepped forward, his arms low and his shoulders haunched in an unspoken defeat.  
  
“That’s it, then” Dwalin spoke from the silence, his voice wavering for the first time. “There’s no way out”  
  
Bilbo squeezed his hands into fists before walking quietly to Thorin’s side. Looking up at the dwarf, he was shocked to see Thorin’s expression. His eyes were glassy and his cheeks were flushed, his jaw tight as he clenched his teeth. Bilbo breathed out sadly and slowly reached for Thorin’s hand, slowly intertwining his fingers with the dwarf’s. Thorin’s chest heaved subtly and he slowly leaned into Bilbo, shutting his eyes as he dared not to look at the sight in front of him. “Oh, Thorin…” Bilbo whispered against Thorin’s side, placing a small kiss on Thorin’s shoulder.  
  
“The last of our kin” Balin said weakly, his eyes red as tears hung at his eyelashes. The bodies were black with ash and dust had collected on them. The very air was rotten and the atmosphere was heavy with grief. “They must’ve come here… hopin’… beyond hope” Balin croaked, looking up at Dwalin who had placed a hand on his shoulder. “We could try to reach the mines… might last a few days” The older dwarf said bluntly, his tired eyes blinking away his tears.  
  
“No.” Thorin whispered lowly, giving Bilbo’s hand a tight squeeze before letting go and walking forward. “I will not die like this…cowering… clawing for breath” He spoke roughly, looking painfully at the bodies in front of him. Thorin turned around quickly, his lips parted and his eyebrows furrowed together. He towards Bilbo, to Dwalin, to Balin, to his kin. “We make for the forges”  
  
“He’ll see us, sure as death” Dwalin shook his head.  
  
“Not if we split up” Thorin persisted, lowering his head as he looked at Balin.  
  
“Thorin, we’ll never make it!” The oldest dwarf exclaimed, waving a hand up in the air as he saw it to be worthless.  
  
“Some of us might” Thorin said, quieter this time. “Lead him to the forges… we kill the dragon” The dwarf king stood tall, swinging his sword out of it’s sheath. The company looked up at him with such applaud that it felt to be overpowering.  
  
…  
  
“If this is to end in fire, then we will all burn together”  
  
~x~  
  
“Come on!” Thorin bellowed at Bilbo and Balin as they ran back across the bridge, hearing the flap of Smaug’s wings close in.  
  
“Flee… flee! Run for your lives! There is no where to hide!” Smaug growled lowly as he crawled across the bridge, cutting the three off. Thorin instinctively reached for Bilbo’s hand as the dragon inched closer, before distant voices distracted the beast.  
  
“Behind you!”  
  
“Worm!”  
  
“Come on!”  
  
The dragon growled as Ori, Dori and Bombur teased him before running off into the safety of a small hallway. This allowed Thorin, Bilbo and Balin to continue their run down the bridge. Just as Smaug was about to reach Ori, Dwalin called out from another direction.  
  
“Ey, you! Here!” Dwalin grinned, shaking his sword into the air as he lured Smaug closer. He hissed with frustration and chased after Nori and Dwalin, smacking a claw down, just missing the two. Gloin and Bifur ran down a staircase and under a bridge, suddenly aware that dragon fire had just about missed catching onto them. Gloin winced as the fire seeped through his shoes and Bifur waved his hands about, yelling random curses and words at the ground. The two slid down, falling conveniently into two little carts that hung amongst others that carried coal.  
  
“This way, it’s this way!” Balin called out to Bilbo and Thorin. The hobbit had slowed down, whilst Thorin kept running down the hallway. “Come on!” Bilbo looked from Balin to Thorin, slowing down as he looked expectantly at his love. “Thorin!” Bilbo called out, his chest heaving for air. The dwarf skidded to a halt and whipped around, beginning to run back to them. He stopped, however, when the giant frame of Smaug came into view. The other two looked around and shook as Smaug stomped around the corner, his head low and his teeth bared in a permanent snarl. Bilbo looked from Smaug to Thorin, his face filled with concern and fear.  
  
“Follow Balin!” Thorin shouted to Bilbo, taking a few steps back.  
  
“No! I won’t leave without you!” The hobbit called back as the older dwarf grabbed his wrists to pull him back.  
  
“Go, Bilbo! Don’t you worry about me!” Thorin shouted, quickly looking down at his hand with the ring on it. For just a split second, it was as if the dragon was never there. The dwarf king slowly raised his hand over his heart, the light gleaming on the ring. Bilbo winced, placing his hand over his heart as well, looking down at the ring. “I promise” Bilbo mouthed, before running after Balin.  
  
Thorin yelled in alert as Smaug’s fire blared from his mouth, shooting out like an avalanche down the hallway. He leaped off the ledge and wrapped his hands around a chain line that had a cart connected at the end of it. Bilbo’s eyes widened as Smaug disappeared down the ledge after Thorin, hearing his yells and the growls of the beast. Dwalin threw his axe, cutting one of the chains to pull Thorin up. As he was being pulled up, Smaug’s claws slashed the chain and Thorin landed with a thump onto Smaug’s lips, feeling the heat protruding through Smaug’s face below his feet. Nori yelled in the distance and chopped down on one of the pulleys that was connected to another cart. Thorin yelled and jumped onto it, his knuckles white as he heaved himself up onto it. Smaug roared below, his chest warm with fire that threatened to leave his stomach. The dragon roared, breathing the fire, just missing Oakenshield as the dwarf leapt off the cart and into Nori’s arms.  
  
“Go!”  
  
~x~  
  
“Oh, Thorin!” Bilbo exclaimed running towards Thorin as the dwarf appeared with Nori around the corner. The hobbit’s chest shivered and tears threatened to leave his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Thorin’s neck, burying his face into Thorin’s shoulder. “What did I say, hmm?” Thorin laughed into Bilbo’s hair, wrapping his arms around the hobbit in a tight squeeze before letting him back down on his feet.  
  
“Ahem” Dwalin coughed, raising his brows at the two in front of him. Bilbo’s eyes widened as he looked to Thorin, who wore the same expression. “Oh, yes… sorry, haha”  
  
“The plan’s not going to work, Thorin” Dwalin placed his hands on his hips, nodding towards the giant stone furnaces that towered above them. “These furnaces are stone cold”  
  
“He’s right. We’ve no fire hot enough to set ‘em ablaze” Balin nodded along, pressing his lips together tightly in disappointment. Bilbo’s head turned around as a distant roar of Smaug could be heard, rattling the pillars and shaking the ground.  
  
“Have we not?” Thorin raised an eyebrow, turning towards the edge of the room. At the edge of the room lay multiple pillars stacked closer near one another, the gap between them just wide enough to fit Thorin through. “I did not look to see you so easily outwitted!” Thorin teased, grinning as Smaug climbed up the opposite wall. “You have grown slow… and fat, in your dotage!” Bilbo took a step back as Thorin threatened the dragon and he looked at Ori with concern, who shuffled a few steps closer to the burglar.  
  
“..slug” Thorin whipped around, facing The Company with a knowing smile. “Take cover” Smaug growled deeply, his jaws opening wide. “Go!” Bilbo rushed forward towards Thorin’s pillar. The dwarf king opened his arms widely and pulled the hobbit closer to him, wrapping Bilbo in his embrace.  
  
“Run now!”  
  
“Ahh!”  
  
Fire blazed from the beast and The Company yelled as they felt the unbearable heat engulf around them. Thank goodness, it only lasted for a moment, or else they would’ve been burnt to a crisp in a matter of minutes.  The furnaces suddenly fired up, one by one erupting into light. The group scattered from their pillars, huddling together once more as the dragon started to ram itself against a thin wall of metal, the strutter creaking with each impact.  
  
“Bombur, get those bellows working! Go!” Thorin called out to the large dwarf, who waddled quickly towards the furnaces. “Bilbo!” Bilbo ran quickly to Thorin’s side, welcoming the warm touch of his hand on his back. “Up there. On my mark, pull that lever” Thorin commanded, smiling down at him before he ran towards the lever, clambering quickly up the steps. Smaug clashed against the metal once more, the thin wall collapsing with each collision. Bilbo yelled in alarm as Smaug broke through the metal, growling dangerously as it looked around for any sight of the dwarves.  
  
Bilbo quickly stepped up towards the lever, realizing that it was quite a deal taller than him. “Oh, dear…” He whispered to himself. Turning around he clenched his teeth to see that Smaug was inching closer and closer to him. However, it quickly stopped walking and slowly turned to Bilbo’s right, glaring at something that the hobbit couldn’t quite see at first. The burglar inched closer a few steps, peeking over the side before realizing what Smaug had targeted… or rather, whom.  
  
Thorin.  
  
“Now!” Thorin yelled, his eyes wide with fear as Smaug took a step forward. Bilbo stood, puzzled, for just a split second before realizing that was his cue and quickly ran towards the lever. He wrapped his hands on the metal handle and jumped, pulling the lever down with all  his body weight, hearing it crash to the stony ground, just missing him by a few inches. As he pulled down, water sprouted out from the walls beside him, crashing into Smaug just as he was about to breathe his fire. Bilbo scrunched his hands, ignoring the burning feeling of metal rubbed against his palms and looked down at the dwarf below.  
  
…  
  
“Run, Thorin!”  
  
~x~


	23. Little Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Some suggestive nsfw here
> 
> Smaug meets his final chapter, concern rises for Thorin's sickness and Bilbo discovers a hidden garden.

Smaug roared in pain and frustration as the rushing water pushed him against one of the furnaces, dimming his chest so that it was no longer glowing. The dragon hissed and craned it’s neck around before stretching it’s wings out and flying up, screeching as the water burnt him. The ground shook with fury and Bilbo had a hard time keeping still as the dragon lashed about, baring it’s massive teeth in a furious rage. As the water continued to flow, creaks of old machinery and the sound of rusted metal moving once more was heard throughout Erebor, echoing through the halls and beyond the roars of the mighty dragon. The hobbit breathed in sharply as Smaug disappeared around a distant forge, giving him the chance to move. 

Bilbo ran to the edge, watching as Bombur jumped up and down on a massive piece of hardware that gave the fire in the furnaces air- the flames turning blue as the heat roared. Bilbo bit his lip with fear, the metallic taste hitting his pallate as he bit his lip, wincing. The screeches of Smaug died down, echoing off into the halls until all was quiet for a moment except for the thunderous spark of flame. He quickly skidded down the steps, rushing to Thorin’s side in worry. The stony surface beneath his feet seemed to get warmer and warmer the closer he got to normal ground and the hobbit slipped and slid slightly as he ran towards the dwarf king, who had not run, much to Bilbo’s disapproval.

  “Thorin! Why on earth didn’t you run?! Foolish business that was! You could’ve been killed!” Bilbo said crossly, his face fuming as the dwarf looked taken aback, blinking with a puzzled expression at the sudden outburst of the hobbit. They stood in silence for a mere few seconds, but Bilbo felt the awkwardness hang in the air like a dark cloud over the lands. The dwarf king gingerly dipped his head, pressing it softly against Bilbo’s, who instinctively leaned into his touch, giving in with a deep sigh.

  “My apologies, Master Baggins, to have caused you any worry” Thorin stated softly, pressing his eyebrows together as he heard a deep growl that rattled the ceiling. The two jumped away from the embrace, spinning around to look at Smaug, fury sparking like fire in his eyes when he saw the dwarf and the hobbit. Bilbo’s eyes widened and his nostrils flared as he looked to Thorin expectedly, hoping to see or hear anything of an order from the king.  

“Lead him to the Gallery of the Kings” Thorin instructed bluntly, his kind eyes now turning dark and serious. Bilbo nodded, furrowing his eyebrows together. The hobbit quickly spun around and started towards the great hallway that he had seen while The Company were on the run, a massive hall with a huge statue of a dwarf near the entrance. He guessed that if there were any rooms to have been it, it would be that. Bilbo stopped, however, and turned on his heel. “Wait…” He whispered, mostly to himself as he ran back to Thorin.

  “Bilbo, what are you-“ The hobbit pressed his lips firmly against Thorin’s, feeling his soft lips move against his own. Bilbo sighed into the kiss, relishing the sweet taste of the king. Color rushed to the hobbit’s cheeks as he stood up to reach his dwarf on his toes, resting a hand on Thorin’s chest as he kissed him. Bilbo drew back a bit, to catch his breath and smiled once Thorin moaned in protest, snaking an arm around Bilbo’s waist, pulling him closer towards his chest before pressing his mouth apon the hobbit’s. Bilbo smiled against his affection, before parting.  

“I will see you soon” He whispered against his lips, before running off towards the hall, leaving Thorin behind. The hall wasn’t too hard to find, and Bilbo huffed and puffed as he heard the roar of the dragon closing in behind him, desperately trying to get away from the heated beast. Before he could make it around one of the towering pillars that decorated the gallery handsomely, he heard the crumble of stones and felt the ground shake him to the ground as the wall broke down, Smaug roaring through. A tapestry, as tall and wide as the gallery itself slipped off it’s hold on the wall and came crashing down, landing hard on Bilbo’s poor back, pressing him against the marbled floor. The hobbit writhed and struggled under the claustrophobic material, kicking his way underneath the cloth.   

“You think you can deceive me, Barrel-rider?” Smaug hissed, walking down the length of the gallery before looking down at the half-ling, who peeked out from under the tapestry with wide eyes, his chest shaking. “You have come from Lake-Town” The dragon stated, his mind putting together pieces of the puzzle as if it were easy for him. “This is some, some sordid scheme between these filthy dwarves and those… miserable tub-trading Lakemen! Those snivelling cowards with their long bows… and Black Arrows” The dragon looked towards the part of the hall he was nearest too, being the entrance to the mountain. “Perhaps it is time... I paid them a visit” Smaug’s black tongue slithered between his teeth as he talked, the slightest of saliva hanging on the corner of his devilish sneer. Bilbo's heart froze mid-beat and he felt slightly light-headed at the thought of causing the prophecy to come true.  

“No! This isn’t their fault!” Bilbo cried out suddenly, completely forgetting his logic of challenging a dragon. Smaug turned around and started for the entrance, flapping his wings as to burst through the wall. “Wait! Wait!” The hobbit yelled at the top of his lungs, his throat burning as his voice shook through the gallery. “You cannot go to Lake-town!”

  The dragon stopped in his place, the frills on the back of his head frilling up as he turned to look at the burglar. “You… care about them?” He ticked his massive head to the side, the tips of his smirk widening as realization hit him. Bilbo’s face froze, his eyes blank as he tried to hide all emotion from him. “Good. Then you can watch them die” The beast peeled back its lips, revealing the full length of those massive teeth. He swivelled around, tail hitting against the pillars as he turned back to the wall. Bilbo gasped, bracing himself for the misery that was about to hit the Lake-Men. He thought of Hilda.  

“Here!” A familiar, deep voice rung in his ears, once again catching Smaug’s attention. “You witless worm!” Now he really got his notice, and the dragon took a few steps forward when he saw Thorin Oakenshield perched apon the top of the giant stone dwarf statue. 

  “Thorin…” Bilbo mumbled a warning under his breath, his eyes dark as he watched his love confront the beast. 

  “I am taking back what you stole” Thorin dared, leaning forward as Smaug crept closer and closer with each passing second. Bilbo watched nervously from the sidelines.  “You will take nothing… from me… Dwarf” Smaug spoke, putting emphasis on the last word. “I laid low your warriors of old. I instilled terror… in the hearts of Men. I am… King Under the Mountain” The dragon spoke highly of himself, now just a few meters away from the stone dwarf.   “This is not your throne” Thorin spat. “These are Dwarf lands! This is Dwarf gold! And we will have… our revenge” The dragon opened his mouth as to breath fire. Suddenly, without a warning except a yell of khuzdul, the giant chains connected to the statue started to pull and strained against the weight of the rocks, before pulling off the stone. Thorin grunted in surprise as the golden glow peeked through the cracks, revealing itself more as the stone came off of the statue. He turned to his side and leapt for a chain that brought him up, away from crashing into the rocks below. Smaug looked confused and alarmed as they fell to the ground, crashing below before revealing what lay inside. It wasn’t stone at all! In fact, quite the opposite from the boring, common solid- it was gold. Pure gold. The purest Bilbo had seen, even amongst all the coins back in the halls. The dwarf statue gleamed and shone at Smaug, luring the dragon closer, drawing him in like flies to a light. Smaug’s smirk fell and he crept closer, his face nearing the statue as he fell into a trance. Bilbo’s jaw dropped and his chest began to thump harder, heaving for air as he watched the scene unfold in front of him.  Suddenly, the gold seemed to bubble and without a moment to loose, one of the golden eyes burst, hot gold pouring out as if it were a waterfall. Smaug backed away, his dilated eyes becoming slits once more as gold started to pour from all sides of the statue, the dwarf monument melting quickly into a river of lava- shining with its golden color. Smaug roared as it started to engulf him, the gold giving off smoke as the dragon fell to the ground, before the river of riches covered him completely, silencing his roars. The gallery was quite still for a moment, and the poor terrified Bilbo stood next to the side of the golden pool, unsure if the dragon was dead or not. He looked up at Thorin, who grinned happily on top of a ledge with the other dwarves. 

All was quiet, except for the tap-tap-tapping of a bird outside.

  “REVENGE?!” Smaug roared, bursting through the gold as if it were nothing. Bilbo’s eyes widened and he instantly backed away to the wall, pressing his back against it as to not catch Smaug’s eye. The dragon thrashed around, furious as ever as it thundered towards the entrance. Gold splatted off him as he ran towards it, and Bilbo was careful to dodge the bits that almost landed on him, not fancying a nasty burn- from the dragon or the gold. The half-ling dodged around a corner as Smaug neared, watching helplessly.

 “REVENGE?! I WILL SHOW YOU, REVENGE!”   The beast rammed into the wall, the stone crumbling against his fury and his weight, tumbling down before the moonlight poured in through the hole in the mountain, making the pool of gold glimmer with light. Smaug ran through it, taking about .3 seconds to relish the feeling of the shrew wind against himself before he brought open his wings and burst into the air, shaking himself to get the gold off of him.

  The hobbit watched in horror as the dragon burst out into the open, before heading straight for Lake-town. Knowing quite well that there was nothing he could do now to save the poor people, Bilbo Baggins still ran towards Laketown, rushing out through the entrance towards the crumbled bits of the two stone dwarves that stood guard just the night before. He wondered just how long they were in that godforsaken mountain. However, this thought did not occupy his thoughts for long as the dragon bellowed it’s shrill cry into the air, making Bilbo feel quite lightheaded as he fell to his knees, pushing himself up with his hands on top of the fallen statue, watching as the Dragon neared with each terrible flap of it’s wings. Even though Smaug was quite a deal away from them, his voice echoed through the lands like wind.

  “I am… fire” His voice echoed to Bilbo’s ears, “I am… death” A low gurgle erupted from the back of Smaug’s chest as his belly glowed with anticipation. The hobbit’s face paled and his knuckles turned white as he gripped tightly to the statue. The cool, unfriendly wind whipped his hair back, but Bilbo felt no cold- the numbing pain of guilt and terror instilled in his heart like a poison.

  “…What have we done?”   

~x~

  Bilbo and The Company watched Lake-Town silently, watching as fire blazed from the sky into the centre, Smaug knocking buildings down with his tails. Even here, Bilbo could hear the screams of the lake-men. The air was cold and brisk, yet no one felt a thing. Not even a shiver. As winter sets apon the mountain, not even the thought of fun snow-days entered their minds. It wasn’t even on the list as they watched Lake-Town crumble into fire, with people screaming and Smaug roaring his cry into the air, no one could barely move. Bilbo shuddered as he heard the piercing cry of a woman and deeply hoped that Hilda was okay, quickly resting his opposite hand on his ring, twisting it around his finger. The burglar turned on his heel to face Thorin, who stood a little ways off, his expression blank. Bilbo blinked, his glassy eyes threatening to unleash it’s tears. However, the dwarf did not react when their eyes locked, and Bilbo saw no kindness in them.   

Gingerly, he took a few shaken steps forward, approaching Thorin with slight caution. “Thorin…” Bilbo said lowly, trying to block out the blood-curdling cries in the distance. “Thorin you mustn’t blame yourself” Bilbo sighed, grazing his fingers over Thorin’s shoulder. The dwarf hesitated, before pulling away and looking down into Bilbo’s eyes. No… this was not Thorin. “You must know that there was nothing you could’ve done to stop him” Bilbo reassured, slightly wounded from Thorin pulling away from him.  

“I do not blame myself, Master Burglar” Thorin spat, flames flickering at the back of Thorin’s eyes as they looked at one another. Bilbo did not reply at first and simply stood there, shocked at the remark.  

“You blame me for this?” Bilbo asked softly, lowering his head as shame struck his heart. Perhaps Smaug was right… perhaps all Thorin wanted was the Arkenstone. The king did not reply to this and simply turned around, huffing as he looked towards Erebor. Bilbo winced, his chest beginning to shake as hot tears blurred his vision, and excused himself.

  Seconds. Minutes. Seemingly, hours had passed since Smaug had burst out through the side of the mountain and The Company had not made the sound- except for the occasional whine or sigh. Bilbo hadn’t looked at Thorin since his remark, keeping his eyes fixed on Lake-Town. He watched suddenly as the beast finally landed, crushing houses beneath him as he walked through. Bilbo sighed, shaking his head as his thoughts went back to where he was a year ago. Back in Bag End. He had never thought for one minute that he, Bilbo Baggins, would ever hurt a fly. Except for the naughty teenager hobbits and the occasional Sackville Baggins, Bilbo had no intention of causing any misery to anyone. Yet, here he was, the weight of guilt heavy on his shoulders as he had unleashed the beast into Lake-Town.  

Suddenly, there was a higher-pitched roar, causing everyone to lift their heads as they watched what happened. Smaug flew high into the air, twirling about as he roared with pain. Bilbo cocked his head to the side, slightly terrified and yet even more hopeful at the scene. Smaug chocked, the glow on his stomach fading as he was still for a minute in the air, as if he was just hanging there. Slowly, he began to fall and hit the ground with a loud splash, along with a loud chorus of cries. Bilbo rose quickly, his heart feeling as if it were about to burst through his chest. 

 “What was that?” Bofur spoke first, standing up as Bilbo rose, his eyes wide and full of sorrow.   

“He fell, I saw it…” Bilbo spoke, shaking his head slightly in disbelief. “He’s dead..” There was a pause as the burglar turned to face the Company. Thorin still refused to look at him, his back facing him. “Smaug is dead” Their jaws dropped in surprise, eyes widening as they looked to one another.   “By my beard.. I do believe that our burglar is telling the truth” Dwalin whispered, nodding to himself as he turned to his brother with a wide smile.  

“Look there!” Bofur pointed out, drawing their gazes to a raven that flew by.  

“The Raven’s are returning to the mountain! Ha-hey!” Balin exclaimed, wrapping his heavy arms around Bombur affectionately, who nodded excitedly. The Dwarves clapped their hands and pumped their fists in the air as whoops escaped their mouths. Bilbo’s frown turned up into a wide grin as Ori patted him on the shoulder, jumping up and down in excitement. The hobbit laughed along with his friend, becoming dizzy just watching the young dwarf before looking towards Thorin. However, Thorin was not stood where Bilbo had left him. He had started walking, much to Bilbo’s concern. As the dwarves behind him rallied with each other, shoving each other affectionately and cheering, Mr.Baggins watched as Thorin walked down towards the giant hole in the wall, not looking back. Not even once.

  ~x~ 

Bilbo walked quietly through the giant halls of Erebor. It had been a few hours since the comforting thought of Smaug being dead. However, with the death of so many lying on his shoulders, Mr.Bilbo Baggins decided to go exploring. After all, he was going to spend much of his life here. He might as well get to know the place. Well… at least he thought he did. The snap of Thorin earlier and the poisonous words of the dragon had gotten through to him, stinging him whenever it crossed his mind. He tried desperately to push it away, convince himself that the love between them was true- but he had no way of knowing for sure. Especially not now. Just within the few hours, Bilbo himself had witnessed the sickness that invaded Thorin’s mind like wildfire- strong and everlasting. The King had been walking endlessly in the hills of gold, not taking any notice to anyone or anything else. He had been mumbling nonsense in khudzul and didn’t look any of the company in the eyes. Not even Bilbo.  

The hobbit thought that it would be best to leave Thorin alone for now, trying to regain his breath and nerves after the Smaug incident. He had to admit that he was happy beyond measure that the great beast was dead, but knew that he would never forgive himself for costing the lives of the innocent people of Lake-Town. The sun had begun to rise, just peaking over the horizon in front of the mountain as the sky started to turn crimson with the anticipation of the following day. Bilbo gladly welcomed the sight of a sunrise and headed for a balcony that stood at the end of the hallway. The doors cutting Bilbo and the ledge off were quite royal-looking and magnificent, rimmed with gold with an intricate silver handle. The stone of the door was dark, much like the rest of the doors in Erebor, but held it’s own sort of magnificence as the sun peaked through under it. Bilbo pushed down on the handle, surprised that it made now sound as he pushed it open, eyes widening at the scene in front of him.

  Smoke drifted to the sky from the ashes of Lake-Town, swirling until it disappeared into the air. The forest and river just beyond Lake-Town were a much more welcome sight- bright colors, twinkling with the wait of the day in front of them. To his left lay more of The Wild. Rolls of flat land that seemed to go on forever, before it started to peak up into its own mountains. The dry grass glowed gold with the sun, seeming to be its own source of light. However, this was not what had caught Bilbo’s eye.  

The balcony in front of him was not just a balcony- but a garden. How had he not seen it before? Perhaps he had been oblivious and took the leaf peaking out from behind the door for nothing. But this was no ordinary garden- and held more beauty that a thousand suns. It was a circular ledge, jutting out far from the mountain, enough space for Bilbo to have to walk a good few long strides before reaching the railing. In the middle lay a patch of green with a bench planted in the centre of it. The grass was fresh and as Bilbo began to look around more, the familiar scents of sweet, warm flowers entered his mind. There were all sorts of flowers- buttercups, sunflowers, bluebells, daisies, and more decorated in patches along the edge of the balcony. Pots containing plants and small trees stood next to the doorway and Bilbo felt almost at peace.  

He couldn’t resist it. The hobbit took a step towards the bench that stood facing the view, and sat down with a grunt. Bilbo sighed in relief as his sore back pressed against the back of the bench gladly. The warm presence of the sun beamed on his skin, warming him from the chill of the night. The hobbit opened his eyes, looking down at his ring fondly, running a finger along the inscriptions. Bilbo hummed softly to himself as he tried to remember what the vows were when Thorin had read them out to Bilbo back in Lake-Town. He smiled at the thought.

  “Master Burglar?” Thorin spoke from behind him, causing Bilbo to jump and quickly let go of his hand, hiding the ring in his pocket as he turned around. No words could leave his mind. “Mind if I join you?” The dwarf asked softly, looking down at his feet as if he already knew that Bilbo would decline. However, Bilbo wished nothing more than the presence of Thorin and shuffled over, leaving space for the dwarf king to take a seat. They sat for a while, knees and shoulders pressed together as they watched the sun rise.  

“Oh Mahal…” Thorin sighed, propping his elbows on his knees and hiding his face. “You must forgive me. I-I had no idea what was saying” The dwarf whispered, his voice hoarse. He looked as if he were about to cry- but Bilbo thought it not possible. 

  “It’s fine…” Bilbo shrugged softly, fumbling his thumbs together. “No…” Thorin shook his head before reaching for Bilbo’s hands, wrapping them in his. The hobbit blushed furiously as he felt Thorin’s warm skin against his own- and with such a magnificent rising of the sun, Thorin looked as handsome as ever. “It’s not”  

“I just worry about you. With this whole… dragon sickness situation” Bilbo admitted with a sigh sigh, looking into Thorin’s eyes with a concerned expression. “I wouldn’t know what to do if that happened to you” Thorin Oakenshield opened his mouth as to speak but quickly shut them as he processed Bilbo’s words. He wouldn’t dare hurt Bilbo. 

  “You mustn’t worry about me forgiving you, Thorin. If I didn’t forgive you for the way you’ve always acted, I would have strangled you” Bilbo winked, his heart flying as Thorin grinned and chuckled deeply, squeezing Bilbo’s hands gently as he laughed. 

  “You are so amazing, amrâlimê” Thorin cooed, raising a hand to stroke Bilbo’s cheekbone affectionally. The hobbit grinned like a fool, unable to stay mad at Thorin.

“You’re not-so-bad yourself” Bilbo said with a sly smile, before showering Thorin’s face with kisses, causing the dwarf king to laugh, playfully pushing Bilbo away as the hobbit attacked him.

  “B-Bil-bo!” Thorin laughed breathlessly against Bilbo’s kisses. The hobbit moved to kiss his lips, but stopped. “Oh? You want me to stop, do you?” Bilbo teased, hovering just above his lips. Thorin rolled his eyes and groaned as Bilbo winked at him.   

“Oh, come here you…” Thorin smirked, placing his hands on Bilbo’s hips and lifting him to sit on his lap. The hobbit smiled shyly, before placing a hand on Thorin’s face and leaned forward, making sure to kiss Thorin slowly. His beard tickled Bilbo’s face as he kissed Thorin, making him smile. The kiss suddenly became more urgent- more passionate as Bilbo grabbed Thorin’s collar, pulling him closer. The dwarf placed his hands on both sides of Bilbo’s face, sighing against his lips. Bilbo furrowed his eyebrows as he felt something poking at his thigh and decided to shift in Thorin’s lap, making Thorin moan into Bilbo’s mouth. The hobbit pulled away, color rushing to his cheeks as he realized what the issue was. Thorin looked shyly down at his growing problem, his head fuzzy with embarrassment.

  “Er…uhm… s-sorry…” Thorin whispered, biting his lip as he looked down into his lap. The hobbit’s heart throbbed in his chest and brought a soft hand under Thorin’s chip, forcing him to look him in the eyes. He needn’t say any words, but just stared into his gaze longingly. I want you. Bilbo blinked, inching closer. I need you. The hobbit ticked his head to the side as his hands trailed down Thorin’s chest. Please. Bilbo’s hands were hesitant as they trailed further and further south.

  “Thoorrinn? Bilboooo?” Bofur called from the near halls, his voice echoing through the walls and into the garden. The hobbit froze, embarrassment and frustration boiling in his abdomen as he looked down at Thorin. Or was it.. something else…  

“Quick” Thorin gasped as he head Bofur’s heavy steps approaching the pair of closed doors. Bilbo’s eyes widened and he quickly tore himself from Thorin’s embrace and standing up, looking around frantically as to find a place to hide.   

“Over there” Thorin quickly pointed out, nodding towards a tall plant that stood next to the door. Without a second thought, Bilbo gathered himself and ducked behind the plant, curling up into a ball as to make himself too small to see. Thorin cleared his throat, adjusting his jacket to cover his little problem before Bofur swung open the doors, groaning in surprise as he saw Thorin.

  “Ay, Thorin! I’ve been searchin’ for you everywhere!” Bofur exclaimed throwing his arms up into the air. Bofur didn’t care much for ‘Grumpy Thorin’ and took no attempt to hide his cheerful manner to please his King. He took pride in that. “Your nephews are back- all in one piece!” Bofur grinned, relieved himself that they were okay. Thorin looked nervously at the plant Bilbo hid behind and gave him a subtle smile.  

“Take me to them” Thorin nodded, taking a step forward through the doors as Bofur walked briskly behind him. Bilbo paused for a minute or two, making sure that they were gone before revealing himself again. He relished as the warm sun, now above the horizon, gleamed down on him. The hobbit drew his hand over his heart, feeling just how fast it was racing, his face still pink from the excitement.   

“Thank you…” He whispered into the air, to no one in particular, before feeling something stir in his pants. He frowned, pressing his eyebrows together before he looked down.  

… 

 He gasped, flustered, desperately searching for something to cover his little problem.  

~x~ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEEYYSS FOR FLUFF


	24. The Sickness is Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo becomes wary of Thorin as dragon sickness invades his mind, a meeting with Bard and a promise of war arises.

~x~  
  
Bilbo waited a few moments behind the plant, softly giggling to himself as he recalled the intimate scene that he and Thorin had played out just ten minutes before. Oh, how he couldn’t wait to feel that hot sensation run through his veins, pooling in his lower half, becoming all bothered as he felt Thorin’s skin on his. The hobbit had to admit, it was one thing that he had longed for, for quiet some time. But after a mental slap and a reminder that now would possibly be the worst time for that, he dusted off his jacket and stood up. The cool wind whipped his hair back softly, and his eyes followed after a dusty moth that fluttered in silence through the air. It spun in the cold and swivelled abruptly, flying through the doors and inside the mountain.  
  
Bilbo recalled memories of when he was a child, constantly following things as if they would lead him to adventures. Ma would always scold him, telling him not to wonder off far, but the little hobbit had not a care in the world- and had pressed on.  
  
_~_  
  
_Bilbo Baggins ran through the air, his small arms flailing about as he chased the bumble bee, which hummed through the air with ease, aware of the small creature chasing after it. His Ma had told him to stay put, but the bee was right there- he couldn’t help but run after! And as most of these little chases go, he had ventured quite deep into the forest surrounding Hobbiton. Nonetheless, the young Bilbo giggled with excitement as his legs carried him faster and faster after the insect, who seemed to always be one foot length away. Bilbo Baggins looked behind him as he ran, watching the bouncing view of Hobbiton fade away in the bright green forest._  
  
_Thump._  
  
_The hobbit toppled to the floor, landing square on his back with a small squeak. Shaking his golden locks free of bits of loose dirt and leaves, he looked up to see what he had ran into._  
  
_It was another young boy- around the same age as him, he suspected. Except, this was no hobbit. Bilbo could tell that quite easily. You see, this boy had long black hair that cascaded over his shoulders. His face was stubborn and he had soft, dark hairs rim his jawline and creep under his chin. His blue eyes narrowed as he looked down at Bilbo and quickly took his arm, hoisting him up._  
  
_“Oh, s-sorry about that” Bilbo mewed, rubbing his arm, embarrassed. The boy shrugged as a smile crept along his face._  
  
_“It’s okay. Say, you’re a hobbit, aren’t you?” The boy asked, ticking his head to the side as he looked Bilbo up and down. Bilbo Baggins paused, looking the boy up and down with a curious expression._  
  
_“Why, yes I am!” He puffed out his chest._  
  
_“Cool! Da says that hobbits are fat and ugly-“ The boy began, excitedly nodding as he spoke. “But I think he was wrong!” He jumped up and down, excited to tell Da of his discovery. Bilbo smiled warmly._  
  
_“Wait until-“_  
  
_“DA! LOOK WHAT THORIN’S FOUND!” A higher pitched voice called from behind the boy- Thorin, catching Bilbo’s gaze._  
  
_It was a young girl, around Thorin’s height, wearing a poofy blue dress with a golden crown apon her head. She, too, had long hair but reached her back instead, and her brown eyes were wide with curiosity._  
  
_“What? What did he find?” Another young voice piped in. The hobbit took a few steps back, suddenly nervous with all the company. It was another young boy, younger than Thorin but older than the little girl. He had lighter hair, a soft brown- and his hair only reached his shoulders. But he had a more excited and lighthearted demeanour about him, it forced a smile on his face._  
  
_“Who’s this?” The little girl asked, poking Thorin in the shoulder, causing him to roll his eyes._  
  
_“A hobbit. Uh… uhm… er…”_  
  
_“Bilbo. Bilbo Baggins, at your service!” The hobbit saluted, resting his hands on his hips as he tried to look brave. However, this just caused the three to giggle._  
  
_“Well, Mr.Bilbo, I’m Dís! And I can see that you’ve already met my older brother” Dís grinned cheekily, waddling in front of Thorin as to get a closer look at the hobbit. “And this is-“_  
  
_“I’m Frerin!” The lighter-haired boy interrupted, leaning against Thorin with a smile._  
  
_“It’s nice to meet you” Bilbo remembered his manners, not fancying another talk about it with Ma back home. “If you don’t mind me asking… what are you?” Bilbo cocked his head to the side, letting his golden locks fall to his shoulder as his brown-green eyes looked the three up and down._  
  
_“Oh, we’re dwarves!” Frerin grinned widely._  
  
_“D-Dwarves?! You mean, you really are?” Bilbo’s jaw seemingly dropped to the floor in surprise, his nerves jumping through his skin in excitement. “Oh, how truly wonderful!” The three laughed loudly at his reaction and Bilbo had to admit, he giggled along with them. The bee, which he had been chasing, buzzed between them, circling in the air before heading back to Hobbiton._  
  
_“Well, I must be going now. But I do hope that we can meet again” Bilbo smiled a small smile, before bowing politely and running after the bee. “Goodbye Dís, Frerin and Thorin!” He called back to them as he ran, finding it difficult to contain how excited he was about the encounter._  
  
_“Goodbye Bilbo Baggins!” The three said in unison, waving to the hobbit as he disappeared within the trees._  
  
~  
  
Mr.Baggins walked softly after the moth, running his hand along the jade-covered walls as he wandered through the halls, smiling at the golden lights that hung on the walls, casting a soft glow on his face. As Bilbo wandered further and further into Erebor, he spotted Thorin wandering amongst the gold below him. Alone.  
  
The hobbit grinned to himself and wandered if they could start off where Bofur had interrupted and excitement boiled in his chest as he skipped down the steps with the light tapping of his feet on the cool marbled floor. The hobbit landed in the gold with a soft thump, coins rolling over his feet and tapping against his legs as he strode over to Thorin, who stood with his back towards him.  
  
“Gold… Beyond measure…” Thorin whispered, his voice unusually low and dangerous. Something struck through Bilbo, telling him not to go any closer or to disturb the king, but his heart ignored the warning and the hobbit reached for his shoulder, resting a soft palm on his coat. Thorin growled and whipped around, flinging Bilbo’s arm off of him. The hobbit froze, his eyes wide with hurt. The dwarf’s eyes were dark, filled with sickness and the very air between them felt heavy with it. It made Bilbo’s stomach lurch and his limbs freeze as he tried to run, but nothing could get him away.  
  
“Do not come any closer, Burglar” Thorin hissed between his teeth, his eyebrows furrowed together. Bilbo Baggins did not understand- just a few moments ago they had been warm in each others embrace.  
  
“Thorin… I…” The dwarf turned around on his heel, his long locks whipping to the side as he slowly shuffled through the gold, marvelling at all it’s glory. The air no longer felt warm- and a harsh wind pushed Bilbo’s hair from his eyes. He wrinkled his nose and narrowed his eyes as he watched Thorin, who slumped against a pillar as he collapsed to the floor, grabbing handfuls of gold. Whatever happened to the Thorin that he had seen moments ago, was not here. This was not Thorin.  
  
The hobbit, in panic, took off and fled back up the stairs, feeling a sob rise in his throat. He held it down and ran towards one of the main chambers, where he knew that the dwarves were gathered in. He slipped and slid on the smooth floor as he ran, ignoring the occasional roar of wind snapping past doors and pushing into hallways. Once he got to the main chambers, he shoved open the doors and sighed in relief at the sight that Fili, Kili and Oin were all alright. He briskly walked forward, pulling the nephews into a tight hug, much to their surprise.  
  
“Ay there, Mr.Baggins” Kili smiled gently, patting his head as he squeezed Bilbo and his brother tighter.  
  
“Where’s Thorin?” Fili asked after a while, releasing Kili and Bilbo of his embrace.  
  
The company grew silent, each other exchanging knowing looks as they felt the presence of the sickness in the very air. Bilbo needn’t say anything, for the dwarves already knew what fate lay apon their King. Kili looked to his brother expectantly, pressing his lips into a hard line. Fili turned to look at Kili and nodded sadly. There was a hushed murmur amongst the dwarves, and Balin stood up from his seat, pacing towards Bilbo and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.  
  
“Listen, lads. The dragon sickness is a very powerful and fierce thing. If you have the chance, do not upset Thorin. He is not as you are used to” The old dwarf spoke clearly and firmly, waving his hand to emphasize just how important this was.  
  
“Uncle. Dragon sickness? It cannot be” Kili shook his head, trying to ignore the true facts.  
  
“What can we do?” Ori piped up from the back, clutching onto his book with wide, fearful eyes as he turned to the burglar.  
  
“We can only hope” Bilbo sighed sadly.  
  
~x~  
  
The next few days were exhausting, demanding and extremely tedious. The Company spent most, if not all of their time searching for the Arkenstone. Thorin had let them all know, plain and clear, that they would not rest until it was found. Of course, he received multiple complaints and grumbles from the dwarves, but pressed on, ignoring the glares and concerned gazes of his kin. They had started with the closest corner of gold from the main chambers and began to work their way across the hills of treasure. Pushing mounds of gold to the side, each dwarf searched and searched for the Arkenstone but could not find it. Of course, Thorin would not take this for a valid answer and had sent anyone back who disagreed with his methods of searching.  
  
The hobbit, however, had not spent endless days looking for the Arkenstone. Of course, he had ‘searched’ for it amongst them, but had no real need to look for it. It had been nestled in his pocket under his coat, hidden away from the prying eyes of his dwarf, who seemed to no longer be the Thorin that he once knew. The hobbit piped up from his ‘searching’ turning his head slowly as he looked for Thorin. However, he could not see him and took the chance to escape. He scrambled from the gold, coins flying behind him as he ran towards a hallway, desperate to catch a breath and enjoy some quiet, alone, hobbit time.  
  
Bilbo skidded along the hallway and bent around a corner, before collapsing against a pile of tumbled rocks, sighing in relief as he left his feet rest. Oh, how he hoped that Thorin would not catch him here.  
  
“Finally…” He sighed, raising a cold hand to wipe the bead of sweat that had collected on his forehead. Dropping his hand to his lap, he looked suspiciously to his left and right, biting his lip nervously as he made sure no one was looking, before reaching into one of his pockets and-  
  
“What is that?” A cruel, harsh voice spat from around the corner. Bilbo looked up in alarm, and felt like running as he stared into the freezing eyes of Thorin. “in your hand? What is it?” He pestered on, walking forward briskly and raising his chin to make himself look bigger. Bilbo Baggins almost squeaked in reply, blinking furiously as he tried to hide his fear.  
  
“Nothing..I-I” Mr.Baggins spoke quickly, flustered from his sudden presence.  
  
“Let me see” Thorin stood in front of him now, his eyes desperate and dangerous, searching Bilbo’s expression for some hint of what it could be. A small part of the dwarf, Bilbo knew, was a suspicion that he was keeping the Arkenstone. Luckily for Bilbo, this was not the case.  
  
Bilbo unclenched his fist and showed it to Thorin, revealing a smooth, small acorn. A bit of the top had crumpled in his hand from squeezing it too tight, and rolled to the floor with gentle taps. Thorin’s eyes softened as he gazed down at the small acorn with confusion.  
  
“I picked it up in.. Beorn’s garden” He admitted with a small voice, not daring to look Thorin in the eyes. Something was different about this dwarf. Yes, that was plain to see.  
  
“You’ve carried it all this way?” Bilbo’s head piped up with surprise at the change of tone, to look into the caring eyes of Thorin Oakenshield. It affects Bilbo more than he would like to admit, and his heart swells with relief and love as his dwarf raises his eyebrows at him in a humorous way.  
  
“Why, yes. I was going to plant it in my garden… in, um, Bag End” Bilbo nodded with an enthusiastic smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Realization hit the hobbit and he quickly dipped his head, his smile fading as his eyes met with Thorin’s ring. “Or… we could plant it here” Bilbo looked up at Thorin under his lashes, blushing softly at the thought. Thorin looked right back at him- making Mr.Baggins realize that no matter how many times the oaf looks at him, it never fails to make his heart flutter.  
  
“Bilbo…” Thorin begins lowly, breathing out through his nose as he raised a hand to Bilbo’s cheek. His eyes were glassy and bloodshot at the corners, as if he had been previously crying. The hobbit’s heart sunk to his chest as he saw his expression, completely perplexed and unable to speak.  
  
“Thorin.. Hey… It’s okay” The dwarf slumped down against the rocks, his crown hitting one of the boulders with a soft clank. Bilbo did not hesitate to join him and snaked an arm behind his neck, pulling him close. “It’ll be okay.. I promise…” He whispered soothingly, leaning his head against Thorin’s, ignoring the slight ticklish sensation of Thorin’s beard against his face.  
  
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me” Thorin sighed deeply, raising a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration. “I don’t… I don’t know…”  
  
“Hey. You look at me” Bilbo interrupted Thorin quickly, concern filling his eyes as the hobbit tipped Thorin’s chin up with a finger. “We’ll get through this together” He nodded, gazing into his lover’s eyes. The two sat wrapped in each others embrace like that for a few moments longer, Bilbo relishing in the relaxing and comforting moment. Each second that ticked by made his chest buzz with warmth as Thorin’s breaths slowed as he started to relax. The cold, dull air of the sickness had lifted, and the warm candlelight made their faces glow.  
  
“Always” Bilbo whispered softly, pressing his nose against Thorin’s. The dwarf parted his lips as to speak but found no words. Instead, he leaned forward and gently kissed the burglar. Bilbo sighed into the kiss, having not felt Thorin’s skin for just a few days was torture to Bilbo, and he ever so longed for these kisses. Their lips moved in unison, each other sighing into the embrace as they felt the warmth swarm into their hearts. Thorin parted first, causing Bilbo to whimper in protest.  
  
“…Always?” Thorin’s eyes shone with hope, with longing, with-  
  
“Thorin” A deep voice belonging to Dwalin called from around the corner, pausing for just a mere second at the scene in front of him. Bilbo’s eyes widened at the interruption and scooted over a few, as to make Dwalin forget what he had seen. The gruff dwarf simply shook his head and continued his announcement. “The survivors from Lake-town, they’re steaming into Dale” The more he spoke, the darker Thorin’s eyes went. The gleam was no longer there, and the cruel air of the sickness had returned. “There’s hundreds of them”  
  
Thorin’s face hardened as he stood up, whipping around to face Dwalin. “Call everyone to the gate”  
  
~x~

 

Bilbo grunted loudly as he pushed against some fallen debris from the gate, pressing the side of his shoulder against it as Kili and Fili pulled at it from the other side, rolling it so that it toppled against the mass stack of boulders that re-made the gate. His arms burned and his eyes were red from the dust that had collected in the little crevices of the rocks and wall. The two nephews, panting for breath, looked expectedly at Bilbo. They knew that they had to stop Thorin from this madness, but hadn’t the clue how. The dwarf wouldn’t listen to anyone. Not even the ones he loved.  
  
“I want this Fortress made safe and secure by sunup. This Mountain was a hard win, and I shall not see it taken from us once more” Thorin growled from the sidelines, his arms crossed over his chest grumpily as his dark eyes scanned the mass of dwarves scurrying to finish the job. They were barely half-way there.  
  
“The people of Lake-town have nothing” Kili remarked from next to Bilbo, his eyebrows furrowed together in confusion and sympathy. Bilbo shuffled his feet uncomfortably under Thorin’s gaze as it dragged to his youngest nephew. Fili appeared close to Bilbo’s side, squeezing his forearm in effort to comfort the young hobbit. “They came to us in a time of need! They have lost… everything!” Kili barked, his eyes now dangerously glaring at his Uncle with disbelief. This was not the Thorin they knew. The other dwarves stopped in their tracks as they watched the two- Bilbo seeing Ori shrinking next to Dori, who wrapped a protective arm around him. Dwalin kept his face stern, but his eyes softened as he looked over the half-finished gate, seeing the dark smoke of dragon fire and ruin float towards the sky in heavy puffs.  
  
“Do not tell me what they have lost” Thorin sneered, turning on his heel to look at Dale in the distance. “I know well enough of their _hardship_. Those who lived through dragon fire should rejoice!” His voice became light with his own reasoning, each word not making sense in Bilbo’s mind. What was he doing?! “They have much to be grateful for” His jaw tightened as he watched the lights flicker in the broken houses and crowds of people making their way through the town, gathering in the clearing in the middle, which was decorated with a large fountain with water spewing from the top.  
  
All was quiet for a moment, and Bilbo was suddenly grateful for Fili’s grip on his arm, pulling him behind him as Thorin looked at Bilbo with a dark gaze which felt like fire grazing his skin, his eyes burning as Bilbo looked back.  
  
“Did I ask of you to stop? More stone! Bring more to the gate!”  
  
~x~  
  
Bilbo clenched his fists nervously as he peered over the now-built gate the next morning, the sun smiling down on them happily, unaware of the tight tension in the air, seemingly swarming around Thorin as he strode towards the gate, his jaw tight as a familiar voice called through the thin air.  
  
“Hail Thorin, son of Thrain!” Bard called out from below, his horse nervously prodding at the ground, cautious of the towering gate in front of it. Bilbo smiled softly at the familiar face, remembering that night at his house just days before… oh, how Bilbo longed for that day to never end. To feel the hot mug of tea warm his cold, frail hands and to feel Thorin’s skin against his. Whatever memory Bilbo had of that place, it was warm but distant. “We are glad to find you alive” Bard exhaled with a welcoming smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling. However, Thorin did not return his happy spirit.  
  
“Let me ask you this, why do you come to the gates of the King under the Mountain- and armed for war?” Thorin nodded to the army of elves in the distant Dale, which seemed to have arrived whilst they were building up the gate. Bilbo bit the insides of his cheek, looking over awkwardly at Nori, who pressed his lips together tightly.  
  
“Why does the King under the Mountain fence himself in, like a robber in his hole?” Bard remarked.  
  
“Perhaps it is because I’m expecting to be robbed!” Thorin’s voice rose now, echoing through the distant halls of Erebor before being drowned out by the howling of the wind, pushing against the gate and blowing over the ramparts, making Bilbo have to grip harder on the rock as to not tumble off. Bard stilled his horse and looked down between the horses’ ears as he thought about his reply, now wary of Thorin’s state. He had heard of such a thing as dragon sickness, but had never sensed it’s foulness in the air. He now understood.  
  
“My Lord” He began, looking up at the dwarf king with promise in his eyes. “We have not come to rob you, but to seek fair settlement. Will you not speak with me?”  
  
The dwarves looked to one another suspiciously, before turning to Thorin. Some nodded, some did not, and the dwarf king took no reply into account. Just as Balin was about to speak, Thorin disappeared from the ramparts and made a steady decent down the stairs to speak with Bard. Bilbo watched longingly after, considering running after him just incase things go south. However, the older dwarf grabbed Bilbo gently by the elbow and turned him around to face him. Balin’s tired eyes looked softly into Bilbo’s, knowing of the affection that the hobbit felt for him. It was no use. The hobbit sighed deeply and leaned forward, pushing his forehead against Balin’s shoulder.  
  
The weary dwarf nodded softly to his brother as he drew a stiff-boned hand to pat Bilbo’s head, hoping to provide Bilbo with some comfort.  
  
It didn’t take long for Thorin to storm back up towards the dwarves, anger in his eyes as they watched Bard ride off in a huff, kicking his horse sharply to canter back to Dale in long strides. Bilbo’s face grew hot and he flared his nostrils as he turned to the dwarf king, his jaw tight with anger and frustration. How could he do that?!  
  
“What are you doing?!” He called out to Thorin, who slowly turned to face the hobbit. “You cannot go to war! Re-consider, Thorin” Bilbo dipped his head lowly, his voice hoarse and tired. The dwarves slowly drew their gaze from Bard towards the scene, now knowing of their feelings for each other and witnessing that warmth disappear between the two.  
  
“This does not concern you” Thorin warned, scrunching up his nose as he turned his back to Dale. “Burglar” He finished bitterly, almost spitting the word. The hobbit took a step forwards so that they were only inches apart and stood up on his toes, his eyes dangerous and dark, unlike his usual mixed eyes full of wonder and care.  
  
“Excuse me, but just in case you haven’t noticed, there’s an army of Elves out there!” The hobbit swung his arm out from the side, straining his neck as to seem more intimidating to Thorin. No.. this was not Thorin. This was a dwarf king who had obviously lost his sanity. “Not to mention several hundred angry fisherman. We are in fact, outnumbered, good sir”  
  
There was a pause. A long and silent pause- for no one spoke for a few moments, each of the dwarves looking uncomfortably at one another. Fili bit his lip sharply and Kili’s brows were furrowed deeply, as if he were truly thinking. Ori stood tall next to Dori and Bombur leaned against the ramparts, fumbling with his beard nervously.  
  
“Not for much longer”  
  
“What does that mean?”  
  
“That, Master Baggins, means that you should never underestimate dwarves” His voice had softened and a soft glow struck in his eyes for only a moment, smiling down at the hobbit with such a look that it had captivated Bilbo completely- even if he was unaware of it. Oh, how he thought it to be unfair. He was furious with his husband-to-be but couldn’t stand that look. It undid him like a present being unwrapped. However, only such a prize couldn’t last forever- and as the right words came to Thorin’s lips, the darkness took over once again. Bilbo shuffled backwards a few steps, nervous beads of sweat rolling down his temples.  
  
…  
  
“We have reclaimed Erebor.. now we defend it”  
  
~x~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, guys <333


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